How to bring an unripe fruit to maturity at home and what to cook from an avocado
Avocado is the most popular fruit among fans of a healthy lifestyle. But in stores, it is not always of perfect quality. Do not rush to get upset – even if you have chosen an unripe fruit, it can be brought to the desired state. We will tell you how.
HOW TO CHOOSE
Hands, to the touch. If the avocado is slightly soft, that’s good. Too soft an avocado or with an already blackened cutting is not suitable – the fruit is overripe. But often the exemplary avocado simply does not reach us.
The ideal fruit should be spotless, light green or slightly brown (depending on the variety). You are very lucky if you come across Haas avocados, which are black and brown and are always half ripe. These are usually sold in premium supermarkets.
DO IT YOURSELF
You can go for a little trick and bring the avocado to ripeness at home. It will take time, but the result will also please. Avocados are rich in selenium, which evaporates from the fruit over time. Therefore, it is not recommended to store the fruit in the refrigerator, the food in the neighborhood may deteriorate, being saturated with gas. But if you put a solid avocado in flour for 3-7 days, the selenium coming out of the fruit in this kind of vacuum will return to the avocado and “ripen” it.
A much faster way is to boil the avocado. Yes, remove the bone and boil the two halves over medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Avocado will not lose its taste and juicy light green color, but it will become soft. Immediately after boiling, it must be cooled and used for its intended purpose. The fruit will not lose its beneficial properties.
The third way to bring the avocado to condition is to wrap it in parchment paper with a banana (also, by the way, a selenium product) for 1-2 days.
AVOCADO IN THE KITCHEN
Avocado is used mostly in South African, Mexican and Mediterranean cuisines. Italians love to add this fruit to salads or pea soup. The French eat toast for breakfast with mashed avocado, olive oil, pine nuts and herbs.
If we talk about Asia, then this is poke or balls with avocado, chopped or mashed. In Mexico, avocado is an ingredient in the famous guacamole. In addition to avocado, celery, pepper, cilantro and even an apple are added to it, complementing the dish with snacks or chips. Israel has adopted the Mexican experience, but here they already make traditional hummus with avocado, which is served with various vegetables or pita bread.
Try making avocado puree with blanched kale and kiwi juice at home for the perfect detox shake.
Or my avocado toast on black bread with poached egg and basil. To cook it, dry brown bread in the oven, drizzle lightly with olive oil and rub with a clove of garlic. Mash ripe avocado with a fork, add 1 tbsp. l. olive oil, salt, freshly ground pepper, ½ tsp. ground coriander and 1 tsp. chopped cilantro and mint. Stir the mixture until smooth and put on the toast, place the poached egg on top.
A quick, tasty and healthy breakfast is ready. Bon Appetit!