What is the first thing that comes into your mind when you think of Mexican food? Surely you are thinking about tacos and, of course, an all-time favorite: guacamole. This creamy sauce made out of avocados is one of the simplest and most delicious Mexican salsa recipes you can prepare.
Now that you are thinking about guacamole with maybe some chips on the side, why don’t you learn more about this prehispanic preparation that Aztecs did and now is a worldwide dish served as an entree and, most important, learn how to make the perfect Mexican guacamole.
Guacamole, a gift from the Gods
This prehispanic recipe is believed to be gifted by God Quetzalcóatl, a feathered serpent very considered the Aztec god of the sun and wind, air, and learning. According to the legend, Quetzalcóatl gave humans the recipe of guacamole because it was considered an aphrodisiac since avocados were considered a sacred fruit related to fertility and new life.
The reason avocados were considered as such is because of their shape. In Spanish, avocados are known as aguacates, which in náhuatl translates to “tree testes”. Therefore, women were forbidden to touch them and only men could harvest or prepare them.
The original recipe included only three ingredients: avocados, red tomatoes, and one single chili pepper.
However, when Spaniards came to the new continent and tried this creamy feast, they added some other ingredients like onions, cilantro, lime, and in some cases, cheese or cream.
How to make the perfect guacamole
Traditional guacamole is usually made in a stone grinder known as molcajete, but you can just use any bowl to mix it.
The basics are: ripe avocados, chili peppers (we recommend one per avocado), diced onion, cilantro leaves, lime, diced tomato, salt, and pepper.
The first you need to do is turn the avocado into a puree. You can either smash it with a fork or put it in a blender with no more than one ounce of water.
Once you have a creamy sauce, you add all the diced ingredients and the juice of one lime. This, besides giving it a great flavor, will help to avoid your guac turning black.
If you want it to be creamier, you can add some sour cream or even cream cheese and if you want it to be spicier, we recommend you add a habanero pepper. Just be careful.
Garnish the guacamole with some fresh cheese and totopos or tortilla chips. Want to elevate it? Try some pork chicharron or fried pork skin.
This is the basic but delicious Mexican guacamole and now you can make it at home in less than five minutes to have a healthy and spice snack either for your party or the Super Bowl.