Guavas are perhaps one of my favorite fruits, like citrus trees and plants, the leaves are also aromatic when rubbed. The fruit on the other hand when ripe is sweet yet not too sweet, soft with edible crunchy seeds. Every Christmas my mom buys them in kilograms to make a fruit leather type dessert called “guava cheese”. She even brings me some every time she visits and this is one of the few things she cooks and takes a lot of pride in. She even sends some to her friends and relatives in Canada and New Zealand. But that is a recipe and story for another day. Instead today, I decided to share one of my favorite ways to eat this fruit. In India when in season, many street vendors will have the carts laden with fresh ripe guavas. The guavas will be sliced right in front of you and then rubbed to coat them with a mix of chili and salt using the exposed end of a freshly cut lime. The resulting bite is a complex mixture of sweet, sour, heat and salt and it’s a rather spectacular experience to behold. Here’s my version of this simple snack that’s built on a such a diverse combination of tastes.
chili and salt seasoned guava bites
makes 4 servings
ingredients
8 ripe baby/Mexican guavas
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon Maldon salt flakes
zest of one lime
Rinse the guavas clean under cold running tap water, pat dry and then trim the ends of the fruit off. Cut into quarters and place in a large mixing bowl.
In a small mixing bowl, mix the chili, salt flakes and zest. Sprinkle this mixture over the quartered guavas and serve immediately.
3 Responses
Our guave tree just arrived at our front door today…hurray for us this will be the first thing I will make with the fruit, then a margarita! Cheers!
Mmmm… Guavas – one of my absolute favorite fruits. And to have the taste elevated with Chili – Oh, my!
i love fruits like guava, mangoes, and apples with chaat masala or Mexican spice (Tajin) soo good. salt and chili together sounds wonderful.