A Folklore For The Younger Brood.

Growing up in different parts of the country, my exposure to avocados was only the one tree in my grandmother’s backyard in Coorg. The only way we consumed the fruit was to eat it as a dessert. The usual procedure was to cut it up in half, discard the seed, scoop the pulp and mix sugar using the peel as a cup. In minutes, only the peel and seed were left over.

After my grandparents moved to the city, this tradition was lost on our family, but deeply missed. For over a decade, no one in the family ate a single avocado, because buying it from the market was just not acceptable!

Then, my parents bought a piece of land outside of the then city limits of Bangalore. Even before a house was built, they planted some avocado saplings. Within a few years, 3 trees were bearing fruit – the best we had ever tasted. We made sure everyone in the neighbourhood and family enjoyed the harvest each year.

Avocados are used for smoothies, salads, dips and what not around the world. At home, we still enjoy it as a salad or a dessert.

Here’s a simple recipe for you to try too:

Ingredients for one portion salad Tomato – 1 (medium) Onion – 1 (small) Cucumber – 1 (small/half medium) Avocado – 1 (small) Salt, pepper and lemonand, lemon juice to taste

Steps: Peel avocado and deseed. Cut the flesh of fruit into cubes Cut tomato and cucumber into cubes the same size as the avocado Julian onion into thin slices Add all these ingredients and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice Mix very gently but thoroughly.