Pico de gallo
A fresh, chunky Mexican salsa of diced ripe tomato, white onion, green chilli and coriander, brightened with lime juice and salt.
Method
- 1
Core the tomatoes, halve them and scoop out the seeds and watery pulp if they are very juicy.
- 2
Cut the tomatoes into 1 cm dice and put them in a bowl.
- 3
Finely chop the onion, rinse it in a sieve under cold water to soften its bite and drain well.
- 4
Remove the chilli stems, scrape out the seeds for a milder salsa and chop the chillies finely.
- 5
Chop the coriander leaves and tender stems.
- 6
Add the onion, chillies, coriander, lime juice and salt to the tomatoes and toss gently.
- 7
Leave the salsa to stand so the flavours mingle and the tomatoes release some juice.
- 8
Taste, adjust the salt and lime, and drain off excess liquid with a slotted spoon before serving.
Notes
- Pico de gallo is best on the day it is made. After a few hours the tomatoes soften and weep.
- Use the reddest, ripest tomatoes you can find. Pale winter tomatoes make a watery, bland salsa.
Equipment
Chopping board, Sharp knife, Sieve, Mixing bowl