The first time I tried guacamole, I remember being intrigued by its green colour and greasy appearance.  After eyeing the bowl surreptitiously for at least half an hour, I finally got up the courage to give it a try.  I remember a smile instantly forming on my face as the first mouthful exploded in a rainbow of flavours and sensations on my unsuspecting tongue.  Spicy and smooth, tart and sweet, I had no idea such an incredible mixture of supposedly contrary tastes was even possible!
Ever since that mystical first time, I’ve been on an unending quest for the perfect guacamole recipe. This  version is definitely an excellent guacamole recipe, and I’ve even had more than a few compliments from my Mexican friends, so I must be on the right track.
One trick I’ve discovered along the way is how to keep the guacamole from turning brown as it tends to do not very long after making it. Â The secret is to put the avocado pits into the finished mixture. Â There seems to be some debate as to the effectiveness of this method. Some say it’s just an old wives’ tale, but I can attest to the fact that I’ve tried it repeatedly and it always seems to work just fine. Â Clingfilm placed firmly against the guacamole works quite well too.
You need:
Steps:
Ready In: 1 hour
Serves: 4
Difficulty: 2 out of 5
Note: Ever tried baked avocados? Just looking at the picture gets my mouth watering!
Continue readingBack in my university days, there used to be a café near my school that served the most delicious Vegetarian Black Bean Soup every Friday, and at a price that even us struggling students could afford.  Ever since then I’ve tried to keep up the tradition at my home, where Fridays are still known as Black Bean Soup day.
The original version used smoked tofu, but I’ve substituted it for firm tofu, fried with paprika and cumin. Of course, if you’re a meat-eater, you could go ahead and substitute the tofu for ham; just make sure you remove it before puréeing. Another hearty broth is this bacon, carrot, butterbean and coriander soup.
You need:
Steps:
Ready In:Â 2 hours
Serves:Â 6
Difficulty: 4 out of 5
Continue readingEver since I was a kid, I’ve absolutely loved everything Mexican, and when I developed a wheat allergy I was glad to know that at least I’d still be able to eat a lot of my favourite dishes since they tend to use cornflour a lot more than wheat flour. Or in any case, there are plenty of corn flour alternatives available, as long as you make sure to check the label in case it’s mixed with regular flour.
Anyway, after so many years of eating standard nachos and salsa, I became a little bored with the typical sweet tomato flavour and started to crave something different. This avocado and mango salsa was the perfect solution and has since become one of my all-time favourite dipping sauces. The sweetness of the mango is offset perfectly by the spicy peppers and tangy lime juice, and the avocado serves as the glue to bind it all together into one explosive taste sensation!Â
If you prefer a spicy salsa as I do, feel free to pump up the quantity of jalapeño chilli peppers and/or the cayenne pepper. If you go too far with the spiciness, mix in a bit of Greek yoghurt or sour cream to tone it back down.
You need:
Steps:
Ready In:Â 10 minutes
Serves: Â 2-3
Difficulty: Â Out of 5, it’s a 1!
Continue reading