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
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: serves 3-4 1x
- Category: small plates
- Cuisine: Pan-Asian
Ingredients
- 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
Instructions
- Wash and halve the avocado. Scoop the flesh out with a spoon and place in a medium bowl. Discard the seed and skin.
- Mash the avocado coarsely with a potato masher or a fork.
- Cut the lime in half and juice it over the avocados.
- 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.
- Combine with a fork and then taste. Adjust with a little salt or ground pepper as needed.
- Cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface of the guacamole. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Serve spicy guacamole with tortilla chips, rice crackers, or shrimp chips.
Keywords: avocado, guacamole, spicy, appetizers, party food, pan asian
