One of my favorite things to do is to take a classic dish and add an unexpected twist. This Spicy Guacamole is an especially fun one. It looks like the regular dip we all love, but one bite and you know this is no ordinary guac. My Asian twist is a little spicy with from fresh Thai chilis, zesty with the scallions and cilantro, and lime juice adds citrusy pop. But it’s the dollop of fish sauce that adds a surprising blast of umami. It’s just as easy and fast to make as regular guacamole, but it’s so much more exciting, so let’s get into it.

Making Spicy Guacamole

Great guac starts with great avocados. We are in the middle of our avocado season here in Florida, and I have access to really great ones from my friends at LNB Grovestand. I love how many different varieties they grow. Usually the season starts in July and if we’re lucky and there’s a long season, we’ll still have them in January.

Although Florida avocados have a bad rep for being watery and less dense than Haas avocados, I would say that not all Florida avocados are the same; some of them are just as creamy and rich as the Haas varietal. At the same time, I would encourage you to embrace the good with the bad. Sure some of them are watery, but they also have a sweet vegetal flavor that’s just as enjoyable in its own way. Plus they’re much fresher than imported avocados, offer great value, and have not been affected by the scorching heat waves in Mexico. Pick up some Florida avocados people 😉

Florida avocados are huge, so if you have access to them you’ll only need one. If using the Hass varietal, you’ll need 2-3 depending on the size. Pick avocados that are heavy and firm, ripening them on your kitchen counter for a couple days. If you buy already soft avocados from the grocery store, you run the risk that some will be overly ripe and brown inside.

Now I just mix it really well and season to taste with salt and pepper. This takes less salt normally than traditional guacamole because the fish sauce is salty, plus I factor in the salt level of the chips I will be serving with it.

This spicy guacamole LOVES being served with my Yuzu Margaritas or as a starter for these Smoked Wings! Let us know in the comments what you serve it with, and tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen, we love seeing your creations.

Spicy Guacamole

• Author: Funky Asian Kitchen
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: serves 3-4 1x
• Category: small plates
• Cuisine: Pan-Asian

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Ingredients

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• 1 Florida avocado or 2 large haas avocados
• 3 scallions
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large or 1 ½ small lime
• 1 Tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 or 2 fresh thai bird chiles, minced (optional) 
• 1 handful cilantro, chopped
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste 

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Instructions

1. Wash and halve the avocado. Scoop the flesh out with a spoon and place in a medium bowl. Discard the seed and skin.
2. Mash the avocado coarsely with a potato masher or a fork.
3. Cut the lime in half and juice it over the avocados.
4. Trim the scallions and chop fine. Add it to the bowl along with the minced garlic, fish sauce, thai bird chiles, cilantro, and ground black pepper.  
5. Combine with a fork and then taste. Adjust with a little salt or ground pepper as needed.
6. Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface of the guacamole. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
7. Serve spicy guacamole with tortilla chips, rice crackers, or shrimp chips.

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Keywords: avocado, guacamole, spicy, appetizers, party food, pan asian

The funk of salted eggs, long a beloved Asian flavor, is finally catching on here in the states, and I am here for it!  If you are not familiar with this trendy ingredient, my Salted Egg Salad is a perfect place to start. This is a popular Filipino dish, usually eaten more like a relish or side dish alongside grilled meats. Since this doesn’t require any cooking, it’s a perfect summer dish.

Salted Eggs

Salted eggs, usually duck eggs,  are cured in a salt brine. This gives loads of complex flavor, especially to the yolk, which become really dense and creamy. Buttery and rich, they are used to flavor everything from chips to coffee drinks to stir fries. Recently I saw salted egg cookies at Costco! In China, they are frequently served with Congee, or used to make their iconic moon cakes. This Salted Egg Salad is a typical use for them in the Philippines. While you can make your own salted eggs at home, they are readily available at Asian grocers. They are sold in their shells, and have a long shelf life.

Making Salted Egg Salad

This is a very fast recipe. First I start by prepping the veggies.

Now that all the veggies are prepped, it’s time to break into the salted eggs. Make sure you are cutting on a stable surface and I placed a wet paper towel to keep the egg from rocking. You can also use a kitchen towel as well. It’s important that the knife is sharp as you will be using some force to break through the shell and cut through the egg. Use the point of your knife and start at the center of the egg. Push into the egg and come down in one firm move. Then rotate your egg and do the same thing.

Salted eggs cannot be peeled as the shell pretty much adheres itself to the egg. So use a spoon and scoop carefully, avoiding any bits of shell.

Now the only thing left to do is to season with a little lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

This richly flavored Salted Egg Salad is the perfect accompaniment to simply prepared meat or fish.

I can’t wait for you to try this dish and find out what all the salted egg fuss is about! Please take a second to rate and comment on the recipe below, and tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen, we love hearing from you!

Salted Egg Salad

★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Funky Asian Kitchen
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: serves 4
• Category: small plates
• Cuisine: Filipino

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Ingredients

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• 3 salted duck eggs 
• 3 small persian cucumbers or ⅓ large European cucumber 
• 3 tomatoes- any kind is fine
• ¼ red onion 
• Handful of cilantro
• 1 scallion, minced
• 1 lemon
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste

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Instructions

1. Wash the cucumber. Next, cut it in half lengthwise and then slice across it into chunky bite-size pieces.
2. Put the cucumber into a bowl. Wash and then dice the tomatoes into large pieces and add it to the bowl of cucumbers. 
3. Dice the red onion into a small pieces. Rinse the onion in a colander under cold running water and then drain the water completely. Add it to the bowl of veggies.
4. Chop the cilantro and add it with the scallion to the veggies.
5. Peel and dice the eggs. Add them to the bowl.
6. Cut and squeeze the lemon over the veggies and season with ground black pepper to taste.
7. Gently mix the ingredients and taste. Adjust the seasoning with a little salt or pepper if needed. Serve Salted Egg Salad  immediately.

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Keywords: filipino, pinoy, condiments, sides, vegetarian, eggs