Should you buy one and hope it will ripen? Or should you be doing something to help it ripen? Here’s how to ripen an avocado.
If there are firm avocados that yield a little when you apply slight pressure, the first is the way to go.
How to ripen an avocado
If, however, there are only hard ones, our favourite method on how to ripen an avo is to stick it next to a banana in the fruit bowl. It is usually pretty much perfect to eat in about 48 hours’ time. If however your need for avo is more pressing and you need it, like yesterday, try putting both fruits in a paper or cloth bag (not plastic). It should ripen even more quickly for you. If you don’t have a banana, an apple will also work – but is not as effective or quick.
For those desperate to eat their unripe avo now, try wrapping the uncut fruit in tinfoil, and baking on a baking sheet at 93°C or 200°F oven for 10 minutes. If it’s not ripe in 10 minutes, check it every five minutes until ready. Then remove your (hopefully now soft) avocado and place it in the fridge for a short time to cool down.
If, your avocado is ripe, you don’t want to use the whole fruit, to stop it browning, sprinkle lemon juice on the cut avo, seal with cling film and store in the fridge.
Avocados are one of those foods that not only taste delicious, they are also good for you. They’re also rich in potassium, fibre, and close to 20 vitamins and minerals including vitamins B, E, and C; research has also found that eating one Hass avocado a day can lower ‘bad’ (LDL) cholesterol.
So what are you waiting for? Hit that fruit shop!
Recipe inspiration: Surprising new ways with avocado
