Easy Guacamole

Think you know guacamole? Unless you've had the real deal, made by hand in a Mexican kitchen--or at least in an authentic Mexican restaurant--you're missing out on how sublime this popular avocado concoction can be.

And "concoction" is exactly the right word for easy guacamole. Mole in Nahuatl--the language of the ancient Aztecs--means just that. Guaca comes from the Nahuatl word for avocado. The Aztecs loved this creamy, delicious and very healthy fruit.

OK, so how do you make real "guac" the right way, so it comes out tasting like it just left Tia Guadalupe's Mexican cocina?

First, put the blender away, far away. In fact, forget you own one. Easy guacamole bears almost no relationship to the pureed gooey mash--sometimes abominated even further with sour cream--that shows up far too often on American tables under the name guacamole. The real thing should be chunky with a burst of rich avocado flavour and just a hint of bite.

To be really authentic, guacamole should be concocted in a molcajete, the pre-Hispanic mortar and pestle made of volcanic rock that you still see for sale in every Mexican street market. It allows you to grind the flavouring ingredients together into a paste before adding the avocado, dispersing the flavours uniformly. Since most modern American kitchens don't have a molcajete, you can use a bowl and the back of a heavy spoon instead.

For the best flavour, use very ripe Hass avocados. Not only do they taste better, they also tend to discolour more slowly.

Easy Guacamole

Makes 3 cups (about 4-5 servings)

3 ripe Hass avocados
1/2 medium white onion, chopped fine
1 clove garlic (if you like it), chopped fine
1 fresh Serrano chilli, seeded, deveined and minced fine*
2 Tbls. fresh cilantro, chopped fine
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp. fresh lime juice (use small Mexican or key limes)
1/2 tsp. salt (more or less to taste)

Put the chopped onion, garlic, cilantro and serrano into a molcajete or bowl and mash together with a mortar or the back of a heavy spoon until the juices mix and they begin to form a paste. Cut the avocados in half and scoop the flesh out with a spoon into the bowl in big chunks. Mix well, mashing the avocado slightly but not until it's a pasty puree. The mixture should still be chunky.

Gently mix in the finely diced tomatoes, lime juice and salt to taste. Stir to mix well.

Serve on chips or, better yet, on home-made totopos--the thick, hand-cut tortilla chips common all over Mexico. In Mexico, guacamole is also commonly served to pile onto steaks, tacos, fajitas, carnitas or spread on bread in place of mayonnaise in a sandwich.

Now close your eyes, take a bite, and enjoy the tangy, sublime, authentic taste of real Mexican easy guacamole.

*Tip: Start with one small serrano then test for hotness. If you like your guacamole fiery, add more. If fresh serrano chillies are not available in your area, you can substitute fresh jalapenos, but the flavour will be slightly different.

Tip 2: Never make easy guacamole in advance. Avocado discolours quickly on contact with air. You can mix up the first ingredients a few hours in advance if you like, but wait to add the avocado and later ingredients until just before serving.

I learned how to make Easy Guacamole at La Cocina Cooking School in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Owner Kris Rudolph really knows her way around a Mexican kitchen.