Fragrant Horned Melon Guacamole Recipe with Mortar & Pestle (Not Spicy)

Published: 13 September 2022

If you are looking for a delicious, fragrant guacamole recipe that isn’t spicy, you’ve come to the right place! In addition to key ingredients such as garlic, onion and coriander, we will also be incorporating some savoury Pecorino Romano. This salty Italian cheese has a very distinctive aromatic flavour that significantly ups the boldness and richness of the guacamole.

This wouldn’t be a horned melon guacamole without – you guessed it- horned melon! With a subtle cucumber taste, the horned melon provides an added freshness to this traditional Mexican dip.

Also called “kiwano”, the horned melon is native to Africa and a member of the cucumber and melon family (just like zucchini!). With orange spiky skin and lime green flesh, this quirky, alien-looking fruit is super nutritious. In fact, the seeds found in the flesh are an important source of unsaturated fatty acids such as omega-6, which plays an important role in brain function as well as skin and hair growth.

I cannot stress enough the importance of using a granite mortar and pestle when making this guacamole. Believe me, you can definitely taste the difference! From guacamole to pesto to meat rubs, your mortar and pestle will quickly become a regular in your cooking adventures!

Did you know? In Mexico, guacamole is prepared using a stone mortar and pestle called “molcajete”. This traditional Mexican version of the mortar is one of the world’s oldest culinary tools. It is carved from lava rock, and is often passed down from generation to generation in Mexican families.

Fragrant horned melon guacamole with mortar & pestle (not spicy)

Meriem Chiadmi

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Cuisine Mexican

Servings 4 people

Equipment

• 1 mortar and pestle

Ingredients

  

• 1 clove of garlic (peeled)
• salt (to taste)
• 2 tsp dried chives
• 1/4 tsp dried coriander
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 ripe Hass avocados
• 5 tsp red onion (minced)
• 7 cherry tomatoes (cut in small pieces)
• 1/2 lime
• 3 Tbsp Pecorino Romano cheese (cut in small pieces)
• 3 Tbsp kiwano (a.k.a African horned cucumber)

Instructions

 

• In a mortar and pestle, mash together the garlic, salt, dried chives, dried coriander, pepper and olive oil.
• Slice the avocados in half, remove the pits and scoop into the mortar. Mash to the desired consistency.
• Using a fork or a spoon, mix in the rest of the ingredients (red onion, cherry tomatoes, Pecorina Romano cheese, kiwano and the juice of half a lime).
• Give it a quick taste and adjust with salt and/or lime juice as needed.

Video

Notes

Delicious with chips and salsa. Also pairs nicely with toasted tortillas (cut into triangles) and raw endive leaves.