Gazan Smashed Avocado

I don’t often post other people’s recipes. Since it’s already been made available by its creator, I don’t see much point. But, because it’s my goal to make the recipes I use for my menus easy to find, I offer you this one, created by Yasmin Khan. It’s her version of a dip that’s as ubiquitous to Gaza as guacamole is to Mexico. While I often play with other people’s recipes and make them my own, I don’t think I can improve upon this one.

It’s so simple and it’s so good. It’s simply good.

It’s traditional to serve this dip with pita, but it’s nice slathered on challah as well.

Ingredients:

2 Hass avocados

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 green chili, finely chopped

Juice of ½ lemon, or to taste

2 tablespoons Greek yogurt or labneh

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more to serve

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

a sprinkle of ground sumac

Method:

• Halve the avocados, remove the pits, and scrape out the flesh into a bowl.

• Mash the avocados with the back of a fork, add in the rest of the ingredients, and mash again. (If you’d like a smoother dip you can make it in the food processor, but it’s most often served a bit chunky.)

• Spread the smashed avocado onto a flat plate, drizzle with a little more olive oil, and sprinkle the top with a few more sesame seeds and some sumac.

• Serve with fresh, warm pita.

Did you make it? Was it fabulous?