Thai Avocado Sauce…Thai Guacamole!

It’s all about the avocado! There are many varieties, but the Hass avocado reigns supreme. With bumpy dark skin and silky dense flesh infused with natural oils the Hass avocado’s nutty flavor with a hint of evergreen sets it above the rest as the best choice for an avocado sauce or guacamole. Keep it simple and let the avocados shine; onions, chilies, lime juice, cilantro, and salt.

But, if Hass avocados are not available, as is mostly the case in Thailand, the smooth skinned avocado is the alternative. Low in natural oils, a moister flesh, and with a lighter flavor that might be described as bland, with a bright green flesh. Excellent for soups, sauces, and salad dressings, but the addition of assertive flavors really brings these avocados to life.

With that in mind I’ve come up with a Thai avocado sauce recipe, essentially a Thai guacamole, along with a few tips for enriching the texture and flavor!

Thai Avocado Sauce…Thai Guacamole

Thai Avocado Sauce…Thai Guacamole:   makes 2 cups

• 2 medium smooth skinned avocados (or Hass avocado if available)
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 2-4 small hot green chilies, finely diced including seeds
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 teaspoon kaffir lime zest (or finely minced kaffir lime leaf)
• 1 tablespoon finely minced lemon grass, tender part only (or lemon grass powder)
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla)
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (coriander) leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• a couple of twists ground white pepper

Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits, and spoon out the flesh and place in a bowl. Mash the avocado flesh until relatively smooth. Place the avocado mixture in a fine mesh strainer placed over a bowl, cover with plastic film pressed onto the surface of the avocado mixture and refrigerate to drain for several hours or overnight. This will remove some of the moisture and produce a creamier texture.

Once drained, place the avocado mixture into a bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Mix to combine well and add additional salt to taste.

Press plastic film onto the surface of the sauce and refrigerate for several hours to allow the flavors to meld before serving.

Serve with Thai corn fritters, (recipe posted; Corn Fritters) or as an accompaniment with grilled meats, poultry, or fish…or with stone ground corn chips!