If you have yet to discover the delicious taste of avocados, now is your chance. Avocados are a gift from nature, full of health benefits and delicious taste. But these fruits are the cause of some confusion, especially regarding food and storage. The following 7 avocado hacks will improve your cooking.
1. How to Ripen Avocados (Wait)
Have you bought an avocado that is far from ripe, but do you need it quickly? Grab a banana or an apple, preferably a ripe one, put it in a brown bag with your avocado and seal it well. Bananas speed up the ripening process. Look after a day or two, and a ripe avocado awaits!
2. How to ripen super fast (no waiting)
If you really crave avocado, but have one that's far from ripe, even with a banana on the side, there's another way to speed up the process. Cut open the unripe avocado, squeeze some fresh lemon juice on the meat and let it roast in the oven for 10-12 minutes at about 200 degrees.
3. Check for ripeness
Don't stand by the pile of avocados in the supermarket and then press them for hours. Just because they're a little soft doesn't mean they're ripe. The best way to test whether the avocado is ripe or not is to remove the lump at the top. You are looking for bright green. Yellow means that the avocado still needs some time. If it is brown, it is no longer good or too ripe. If the sight alone isn't enough to convince you it's ripe, take that lump and slide it over your palm immediately after removing it. If it feels a little moist, it means the avocado is soft, not hard and tasty.
4. How to cut an avocado
There are several ways, but experts agree on these two versions:
Longitudinal – Cut all the way around the avocado from top to bottom. Twist slightly to separate. You can remove the pit by inserting a knife and then lifting it up. That requires some strength.
In width – Cut around the perimeter. Twist to remove the top from the bottom. Squeeze the side where the pit is to remove it.
5. Making blocks
Regardless of whether the avocado is cut lengthwise or widthwise, you can make cubes, so to speak, by using the skin as a cutting board. Take a butter knife and draw a crosshatch pattern through the avocado as you see fit. Scoop the cubes into a bowl with a spoon.
6. Use it
Avocado is delicious in many dishes, especially if you're trying to eat healthier. In fact, it can even become a substitute for some ingredients that you may be missing out on. For example:as a milk replacement in a smoothie, for eggs, cream and other fattening ingredients or as a salad dressing.
7. How do you store an avocado
First rule of thumb:If you have leftover avocado, never throw out the pit. The pit keeps it fresh longer. Second, if you have some onion handy, place a piece of it with the avocado and its pit in an airtight container. The onion has enzymes that prevent the avocado from turning brown.
If you don't have an onion, brush some lemon juice or apple cider vinegar against the unprotected green of the avocado, then place cling film over that portion to protect it from the air. However you store it, always make sure to put any leftovers (or avocado you don't want it to ripen too ripe) in the fridge to slow down the process.
