There are things in the world that fit together like pieces of a puzzle, and are completely meaningless individually. Almost like stupid lovers in the candy-bouquet period.
Or as an avocado and avocado knife. During the preparation of this column, we honestly tried to crossbreed this device with some other products. For example, we tried to chop cucumbers. It didn’t work out: the density of the cucumber “meat” is too high for the avocado slicer’s insufficiently sharp blades.
We also ruined a couple of pears and nectarines - they, on the contrary, turned out to be too soft and pliable and turned into an indistinct puree.
And only with avocado did everything work out. The knife, it seems, even sighed with relief - and quickly, with skill, tamed the oily pulp. The avocado, which does not tolerate the touch of hands, in turn happily obeyed - and immediately appeared in the form of eleven perfect longitudinal slices. And now they are ready to become part of a salad or rolls - mind you, without the noise and oily mucus that usually accompany the process of cutting this nut. And let someone consider it short-sighted to purchase a device with such a narrow specialization. But for those who know the convenience and indispensability of herb scissors and a pasta portion meter, an avocado knife will certainly not seem superfluous.
An unusual and exotic fruit like avocado is gaining more and more popularity. But still, many people still give preference to other common fruits. This is most likely due to lack of information. Judge for yourself. Many people do not know this interesting vegetable or fruit. How to eat avocado correctly? Is it possible to eat the bone? Why should it be eaten raw? And in general, how to choose this fruit so that it is ripe? We will reveal the answers to these and other questions in this article.
Which grows on a tree somewhere in the tropical countries of Africa, Brazil, Israel and some states of America. The second name of the fruit is “Alligator Pear”, but only because of its external resemblance. It is shaped like and green like an alligator. Inside the fruit there is a large bone that cannot be eaten, as it contains dangerous substances. The same applies to the peel, but the oily pulp brings invaluable benefits to us. Despite the fact that the alligator pear is a fruit, its taste is not at all sweet and desserts are not prepared from it, but we will write about this in more detail below.
How to identify a ripe avocado
Everything is simple here: the darker the fruit, the riper it is. At the same time, you cannot buy completely black fruit, because this means that it is already overripe or has begun to rot. Although, as an exception, there is one variety of avocado with black peel - Californian. They buy it black.
How to determine the ripeness of an avocado:
- The first sign is color. The skin of the avocado should be dark green. At the same time, if the store has light green fruits or, on the contrary, overripe ones, then it is better to choose a light color of the hard fruit. At room temperature it will ripen in your home in a few days. But also make sure that the fruit does not spoil.
- The avocado is a little soft to the touch. If you press, a dent will appear. And under the peel you will feel like softened butter. By the way, the dent is then smoothed out.
- The stone inside the fruit easily comes away from the pulp. If you shake the fruit, you can hear it dangling inside.
How to speed up ripening
Most often, stores sell unripe fruits. Because they spoil very quickly, but they can ripen just fine on the counter or at home. If you bought a hard fruit, you cannot put it in the refrigerator, otherwise it will never ripen, but will simply spoil. So, what to do if you come across a hard avocado in the store:
- The first method of ripening is very fast. This is if you need it for “now”. Take the fruit and make several punctures with a fork in different places. Then place it in the microwave with the lid on and turn it on for 30 seconds. If it is not softened enough, you can turn it on for another 30 seconds. Then cool the avocado and you can cook it the way you want. With such rapid ripening, there is one drawback: the fruit can change its taste. Therefore, it is better not to use it.
- The second method also involves heating the avocado. Only this time in the oven. Take a piece of foil, completely wrap the fruit in it, place it on a baking sheet and heat at 200 degrees for 10 minutes. Then you can cool it and eat it. This method is also not the best due to heat treatment. Indeed, in such conditions, the fruit loses some of its beneficial properties.
- The third method of ripening will last about two days. You need to take a paper bag. Place an avocado and some other fruit in it, for example, or. Next, we close the bag and store it at a temperature of 20-24⁰ C. The paper bag retains ethylene gas, which is a natural plant hormone that helps fruits ripen, and other fruit helps produce more of it. With this method, all the taste and beneficial qualities of the alligator pear are preserved.
- You bought an avocado, cut it, and it’s hard and unripe. In this case, sprinkle the pulp with lemon juice and combine the two halves of the fruit with the seed inside. Next, wrap it in cling film and place it in the refrigerator until ripe.
- And the last is the oldest method, but no less popular, of ripening avocados. You need to wrap the fruit in newspaper and put it in a warm place. For example, to a battery or an oven that is already turned off. This fruit will ripen in a few days.
How to properly peel an avocado
To cut an avocado, professional chefs will never use a metal knife because it speeds up the oxidation process and the flesh darkens faster. It is better to use a ceramic knife or a plastic or wooden spoon.
There are two most popular ways to cut an avocado:
- First you need to wash the fruit and dry it. Take an avocado knife and cut the fruit lengthwise in a circle, resting on the pit. Next, we scroll the two halves and stretch them to the sides. One of them will be removed. Then we hit the bone with the sharp side of the knife and it will come out along with the blade. The cut halves should be immediately sprinkled with lemon juice or lemon juice to prevent them from oxidizing and darkening. Then use a knife to draw lines along the flesh. First on one side, then on the other, to make squares. In this case, we cut through the pulp right up to the peel. Take a spoon and in one motion remove the pulp from the peel. The resulting squares can be eaten plain or added to the desired dish.
- The second cutting method is suitable for those who need to cut the fruit into strips. First we peel it, and then we cut it and take out the seed, as in the first method. Then cut the halves into strips on a cutting board.
What does avocado taste like?
To understand the taste of an avocado, you need to try it. But we will still try to describe it to you. Avocado tastes like butter with herbs. Sometimes it has a nutty flavor, which is why some people tend to believe that avocado is not a fruit or a vegetable, but a nut. At the same time, the fruit itself is fresh. Therefore, it is consumed with herbs, salt, spices and lemon juice. In dishes with meat or fish, you will not feel the taste of the fruit itself, but it will give the food tenderness and oiliness.
Avocado how to eat it
People who buy an avocado for the first time unknowingly peel the skin, bite into it and are disappointed. Because the fruit can be unripe, hard, and even without seasoning its taste is not for everyone. But before you eat an avocado, you need to know how to eat it correctly, and then the alligator pear will become almost your favorite fruit.
There is one main rule for eating avocado: it must be eaten raw. Why? Everything is very simple here. Firstly, it is very tender and buttery, that is, delicious in itself. Secondly, its pulp contains tinin, which when heated gives a bitter and tart taste. Simply put, cooked avocados will not taste good. It also contains a lot of healthy fats, and is an ideal fruit for weight loss. Vitamins A and E rejuvenate the skin. There is a lot of potassium and the fruit is good for the cardiovascular system. Thanks to oleic acid, the amount of cholesterol in the blood decreases. All these beneficial properties are contained in the raw product. And raw foodists replace meat with it in their dishes. This is a very big plus that avocados can simply be peeled and eaten without heat treatment.
What does avocado go with?
Although the alligator pear is considered a fruit, it is eaten with fish, meat, cottage cheese, in salads, with rich cheeses, or simply salt and pepper. Avocados and lemon or lime are inseparable. Since it not only slows down oxidative processes, but also complements the fruit very well. The fruit is also combined with seafood and red fish. Any avocado salad with these products will be very original and delicious. The fruit paste fits perfectly on toast or regular bread and a hearty breakfast dish is ready. Alligator pear is also considered one of the main ingredients for sushi. Again because of the perfect combination with fish. But sliced from it serves as an excellent addition as a side dish for meat.
This fruit is good to combine with foods that have a pronounced taste. This could be rich cheese or bacon. Then the fruit will soften the richness of these products and make the dish more tender.
How many avocados can you eat per day?
It is very difficult to say what the norm of fruit consumption per day is. It all depends on your health, your body and overall nutrition. Avocado is a very fatty fruit. It contains about 30% easily digestible fat, and 100 grams of the product contains 245 calories. The same amount as in lean meat. If you become addicted and eat several fruits at a time, you may feel heaviness in your stomach. And people who are prone to obesity even risk gaining weight on these fruits. But if you eat half an avocado a day, it will bring great benefits to your body. Moreover, the other half can be stored in the refrigerator under cling film until the next day.
What to cook with avocado
Due to the fact that alligator pears need to be eaten raw, they can be quickly and deliciously prepared into salads, pastas, slices and sandwiches. Here are some delicious avocado recipes.
- Salad with shrimp and avocado. You need to boil the shrimp. In a salad bowl, place pre-washed and dried lettuce leaves, sliced avocado on them, then peeled slices, a handful of prepared shrimp and season it all with olive oil, lemon juice and Dijon mustard or unsweetened yogurt. It's up to your discretion.
- Chicken salad. Place lettuce leaves in a bowl, add chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, avocados, quail eggs, thinly sliced fresh mushrooms and fried chicken pieces. Next, mix the sauce: olive oil with garlic, soy sauce and Dijon mustard. Dress the salad and sprinkle with grated cheese. It's better to choose Parmesan.
- Guacamole. This is the best of Mexican avocado sauces. Mix the squeezed garlic with a pinch of salt. Finely chop the tomato, half an onion and a bunch of cilantro. Mash the avocado pulp until smooth, sprinkle with lemon and mix with the rest of the ingredients. The sauce is ready.
- Avocado soup. Served cold. Mash the flesh of two avocados with a fork and mix with lemon juice. Then mix the pulp and 350 ml of chicken broth in a blender, not hot, but cooled. Then add 250 ml of cream or milk to them and beat again. Add salt and pepper to taste. This soup is good served with croutons.
Can you eat avocado peel?
You cannot eat either the peel or the seed of the fruit. They, as well as the leaves, contain the fungicidal toxin persin. It is an oil-soluble compound that is similar to a fatty acid. Persin can cause severe allergies in a person, as well as impair the functioning of the digestive system. But in animals it even leads to death. They accumulate fluid in the body, edema appears and cardiac activity decreases. So, under no circumstances should you eat avocado peel or give it to your pets. The same applies to the seeds and leaves of a tree if you decide to grow it yourself.
Why does avocado turn dark?
When you cut into an avocado, it begins to darken quickly. Is this normal and can I eat it? Can! Since the fruit contains a lot of iron, which oxidizes when it comes into contact with air. To prevent the avocado from darkening quickly, sprinkle it with lemon juice.
But if you bought a fruit, cut it open, and there are black dots, or you noticed dark spots on the store counter, then the fruit is already overripe and has even begun to deteriorate. Therefore, eating it is not recommended. Of course, you can cut off the dark gray spots and eat only the light green parts of the pulp, but it is better to buy unripe fruits and store them at home until they are fully ripe.
Why is avocado bitter?
It also happens that you can buy an alligator pear, cut it, and it tastes bitter. Unfortunately, this means the fruit is unripe. In this case, it needs to be wrapped in cling film and sent to ripen. Or maybe it has already started to deteriorate. This can also give the fruit a bitter taste.
Now that you have learned how to choose the right avocado, you know what it should be like, and how best to prepare it, be sure to buy yourself a couple of fruits and find your own unique recipe with this unusual fruit. Moreover, it brings great benefits to our body.
Avocado and mango are exotic fruits rich in vitamins, which are also very tasty. However, the dense skin, large stone and delicate pulp make the process of peeling the fruit difficult. Therefore, if you are a connoisseur of Mexican cuisine and prepare dishes and salads with these fruits, then you will appreciate this kitchen gadget -"OXO" knife "3 in 1" for avocado and mango .
Avocado knife "OXO" is a multifunctional kitchen accessory that combines three knives at once. With the help of a new generation knife, you can easily and quickly cut the fruit, remove the pit and cut the pulp into even, neat slices.
The knife for mango and avocado is compact in size, made of food-grade and durable plastic. The pitting container has 3 high carbon stainless steel blades. The handle of the knife is non-slip and is comfortable to hold in your hand. All materials included in the knife are environmentally friendly and completely non-toxic.
Avocado peeling knife, characteristics :
- Model: Oxo;
- Type: avocado and mango splitter;
- Material: food grade ABS, stainless steel
- Colors: green, black;
- Dimensions: 20 x 6 x 3 cm;
- Weight: 0.09 kg;
- Certification: CIQ, EEC, CE/EU, FDA, LFGB, SGS;
- Manufacturer: Eecoo.
Equipment :
- Knife 3 in 1 – 1 pc.;
- Soft packaging – 1 pc.
You can buy an “OXO” avocado knife inexpensively right now on our online store website, just click the “I want to buy” button and place an order.
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How to peel an avocado?
The fruit of the evergreen fruit plant of the Laurel family can increasingly be seen as an ingredient on the holiday table. The fruit is pear-shaped, with a dense peel. In some varieties the skin of the fruit is smooth, in others it is rough. The flesh inside the avocado is oily.
How to properly peel an exotic fruit? This will be discussed in our article.
Should avocados be peeled before eating?
Before we start peeling an avocado, we suggest you familiarize yourself with how to choose a truly tasty fruit.
- It is better not to use an overripe fruit (indentations from a finger after pressing on the fruit) for food, since the taste of such a fruit is unsatisfactory.
- You need to buy an exotic fruit with a hard peel. If the peel has cracks or damage, it is better to leave the fruit on the store shelf.
- Do not load your basket with exotic fruits that are too soft. If the avocado is soft, it means it is overripe and most likely spoiled.
- To check the stage of ripeness of an avocado, you can do a small test: press the flesh with your finger and if within 20 seconds the resulting dent disappears, then the avocado is ripe and can be eaten. The bright green hue of the exotic fruit also indicates its ripeness.
- Ripe avocados have an amazing smell and taste. An unripe fruit is unsuitable for food. Some people eat avocados with the peel on, but for others it’s not tasty.
Whether or not to peel an avocado is up to you. The peel of the fruit will not affect its taste. However, if you decide to make rolls or salad, then the avocado needs to be peeled.
How to properly pit an avocado?
Avocados are consumed simply as a fruit or added to various salads, snacks, and other dishes. We will tell you how to peel an avocado correctly and as quickly as possible, what methods there are for peeling an avocado and when to use them.
The procedure for cleaning an avocado can be divided into several stages:
- The fruit is washed.
- Divided into two halves using a knife.
- The bone is removed.
- The fruit is peeled.
- If the avocado is ripe, then its peel can be easily pryed with a knife and removed in parts. Peeling an unripe fruit is not very easy: you will have to cut off the peel.
One of the simple and quick ways to peel an avocado:
- Take a tablespoon.
- Place a spoon between the fruit pulp and the seed.
- Roll the spoon along the edge of the fruit pulp.
- As a result of this simple manipulation, the seed itself is separated and the avocado pulp can be used for its intended purpose.
The dark color of the avocado peel indicates the ripeness of the fruit. How to cut an avocado into slices and cubes?
- Avocado is an excellent ingredient for salads. Fruit juice adds sweetness and originality to the finished dish. But if you leave the peel on the avocado and cut the exotic fruit for a salad, the dish will be bitter.
For rolls, avocados also need to be peeled. The cleaning method does not change, but there are some nuances that should be taken into account:
- The fruit is washed thoroughly under running water.
- Cut into two halves. The pit is removed (it can be thrown away or planted, but the pit is not suitable for eating).
- Avocado halves are also cut in half.
- The resulting quarters are again cut into two parts.
- Only after this can you start peeling.
- Avocado cut in this way can be added to various rolls.
- For one roll you need 2 or 3 pieces of avocado.
Avocados have a neutral flesh taste and a delicate texture that is reminiscent of pine nuts. The pit is oily but inedible.
Avocado pulp has a neutral taste and delicate texture.
The first way to peel an avocado
- This method is used for further slicing the fruit into thin slices or strips.
Wash the avocado under running water and dry with a paper towel. - Carefully cut the avocado into two halves until the knife hits the pit. Next, we make a cut in a circle along the bone. We should end up with two identical sized parts of the fruit.
- We rotate the upper or lower half 90 degrees, separating it from the bone in this way.
- The bone is separated from the remaining half with the tip of a knife. You need to pick up the bone and lift it.
- Each avocado half is cut in half. After this, the peel is removed and the exotic fruit is cut into slices or strips.
The second method of peeling an avocado (for cutting into salad)
- Avocado is cut into cubes and added to salads. We repeat the same steps as in the first cleaning method until the seeds are removed from the two halves of the avocado.
- Take one half of the fruit (with the peel), turn it over with the flesh facing up and use a knife to make cuts inside the fruit in the form of a net.
- Now take a teaspoon and carefully separate each segment of the pulp from the skin. The resulting cubes can be cut into two or four more pieces and used as an ingredient in a salad or sauce.
Method for cutting avocados into slices Is it necessary and how to peel an avocado?
- The taste of avocado pulp can be compared to a mixture of butter and fresh herbs. The exotic fruit is often added to dietary dishes.
- If the avocado is pureed, the resulting mixture can be used as oil, provided that further preparation does not include heat treatment of the dish.
- Avocado is used as a salad dressing and as a spread for sandwiches. The crushed fruit is added to pates.
- Avocado pieces are used as components of various salads, as an independent snack.
Avocado pulp tastes like a mixture of butter and herbs To peel the avocado and further slice it, we need a sharp knife and a teaspoon. In addition to avocado, you will need a lemon cut in half.
- We peel the overseas fruit. You can simply cut off a thin layer of the skin of the fruit as we do with potatoes. This method is used for both unripe and ripe fruits. If the skin is easily separated from the pulp, then four longitudinal cuts are made on the skin along the entire length of the fruit. Each segment of the skin is pryed with the tip of a knife and removed.
- After the fruit is peeled, we begin slicing. We make an incision in the narrow part of the fruit and move the knife down until it rests on the bone.
- Turn the fruit while holding the knife on the surface of the pit. We should get two equal-sized halves of the fruit.
- Holding the two halves of the cut fruit, remove the upper part with the stone, helping yourself with a knife.
- The pit is easily removed with a teaspoon. You just need to pick it up and take it out. If the bone does not separate, then turn it with a teaspoon, trying not to grab the pulp.
- After removing the seed, pour lemon juice over the fruit halves to preserve the natural color. Lemon juice will help prevent the fruit from browning.
Cut the avocado into slices or strips.
To preserve the natural color, the avocado pulp is sprinkled with lemon juice. Should you peel an avocado for salad?
- Adding unpeeled avocado to a salad can greatly spoil the impression of the dish. After all, the skin will make its taste somewhat bitter.
- Therefore, when cutting an exotic fruit into a salad, it is better to familiarize yourself with the various methods of getting rid of the peel and slicing the fruit.
- Then the guests will appreciate the efforts of the hostess, and the exotic fruit will become one of the main components of the festive dishes.
How to properly cut an avocado at home?
- The fruit is cut in half, bypassing the seed.
- The cut avocado halves are turned in different directions. The two halves of the fruit are separated and the seed remains in one of them.
- The seed can be lifted with a tablespoon and removed from the pulp. There is another way: you need to lightly hit the seed with a knife and carefully remove it from the fruit.
You can hit the bone lightly with a knife to remove it. - If you plan to prepare rolls, then the avocado is cut into strips: half of the fruit is cut in half, the skin is removed from each part of the fruit and the flesh is cut into strips.
- For the salad, cut the avocado into cubes. In this case, the fruit is not peeled, but the pulp is cut into cubes and removed using a spoon.
Avocado is an amazing exotic fruit, one of the few among its fellows that has entered our diet. Thanks to its unusual pleasant taste and numerous beneficial properties, avocado has become the most common component of many dishes.
It is added to salads, sauces, dressings, and served as an independent treat. To enjoy the taste of avocado, the main thing is to choose the right fruit. A ripe avocado should be soft, but not fall apart. The fruit should not be deformed, and the skin should be a uniform green color over the entire surface.
Once you choose the fruit, all that remains is to cut it correctly. Even those who hold an avocado in their hands for the first time can do this. Just buy an avocado.
Avocado knife 3 in 1
An avocado knife is different from other tools. This is a 3 in 1 device that will help you cut the fruit, remove the seed and separate the pulp from the skin in one motion, thereby obtaining identical appetizing slices.
The knife is made entirely of plastic, and its design is designed specifically for avocados. The tip of the knife will easily separate the avocado into halves. The hole for removing the pit will help you cope with the task in an instant.
The knife is made of food-grade hypoallergenic plastic. It is completely safe for health. And most importantly, it does not cause oxidation upon contact with the pulp of the fruit, which is especially important when preparing avocados.
How to use an avocado knife
How to use an avocado knife? It's very simple! With the 3-in-1 avocado cutter, you can easily prepare delicious serving fruit. To do this you only have to take three steps:
- Using the sharp end of a knife, split the avocado lengthwise into two halves;
- Using the hole in the center of the device, remove the seed from the fruit;
- Using the back of a knife, use the back of a knife to separate the pulp from the skin in one motion.
As a result, you will get evenly cut slices. And even if the fruit pulp is too soft,... You can serve them with a dressing or cut them into smaller pieces and top a salad.
Advantages
- The knife is made of high quality food grade plastic. Does not cause allergic reactions or oxidation of the product;
- Makes the process of cutting avocados simple and fast;
- The knife is easy to care for. Place the knife under running water and wash off any remaining fruit;
- The knife does not take up much space in the kitchen due to its compact size;
- It has a stylish design and attractive colors;
- The price of an avocado knife in our store will pleasantly surprise you.
