The original hipsters that made avocados trendy lived in Mexico about 10,000 years ago where it was part of the hunting and gathering cuisine and the earlier trendsetters most likely ate this berry whole and raw. The name, interestingly, could be linked to ‘āhuacatl’, a word in the Nahuatl language meaning ‘testicles’ (not so trendy). Researchers believe that early Mesoamericans like the Incas and Mayans domesticated avocado trees about 5,000 years ago. The commercialization of the avocado was a brilliant advertising campaign concocted by the avocado farmers of California who came up with the winning formula of pairing the Super Bowl, the great American annual football championship, with guacamole. However, there is a dark side to the commercialization, is linked to the large amount of water required to grow avocados, leaving lesser water for other crops and farmers. The popularity of avocados also led to higher profits thus making avocado farming an attractive venture for drug cartels and deforestation.

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Definitely, avocados is not something I grew up with in India and was a new ingredient for me after coming to the US. Even then, I was a bit cautious as I did not know how to use it. It was not until the little birdies started using in on eggs, toast, sandwiches, tacos, rice, and everything else that I became a fan. I use them in salsas and in dips mostly and love them sliced and plain with burritos. This avocado sauce is perfect for tacos and burritos as it is creamy and easy to spread or squeeze.

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Step by Step

1. Slice two avocados and scoop out the flesh. Discard the peel and seed.
2. Roughly chop 6-8 sprigs of cilantro.
3. Deseed and chop two serrano or jalapeno peppers.
4. Peel and chop 2 cloves of garlic (optional).
5. Place all in a blender.
6. Add
   • 3 tsp of lime juice
   • 1 tsp of salt
   • 1/2 tsp of black pepper
   • 1/2 cup water
7. Blend all to a smooth paste.
8. Add 1 or 2 tbsp more of water if needed.
9. Use as a dip or in tacos.

Some Tips

If you are not going to use the avocado sauce right away, cover and refrigerate until required. Avocados tend to turn darker in color when cut and exposed to air so the sauce might not look as green after sitting around for a few hours.

You can add 1-2 cloves of garlic in this spread, I avoided it this time around as the old bird prefers low or no raw garlic.

This is a great spread for sandwiches and rotis as well since avocados are mild tasting.