Ingredients
Tomato
- 500 gripe firm tomatoes, preferably roma
- 1 tspsalt
Also
- 1small white onion, finely chopped
- 2to 4 serrano or jalapeño chillies, finely chopped
- 1large bunch coriander, chopped
- juice of 2 limes
- salt
To serve
- with tacos, grilled meat, eggs or tortilla chips
Directions
- Cut everything into small even dice of roughly the same size, about half a centimetre. Uniform pieces are the point, since every spoonful should contain all four ingredients in proportion. Use a sharp knife rather than a food processor, which crushes the tomato and turns the whole thing into a wet pulp.
- Use firm ripe tomatoes, and roma or plum tomatoes are best because they have thicker walls and less watery pulp. Removing the seeds and jelly is what keeps the salsa dry, since that jelly is almost entirely water and it leaches out within minutes.
- Dice only the firm outer walls. Now salt and drain, which is worth the twenty minutes. Toss the diced tomato with a teaspoon of salt and leave it in a sieve for twenty minutes. Use white onion rather than red or yellow, which is what is used in Mexico and is sharper and cleaner.
- Rinse the chopped onion under cold water and pat it dry. Leave the seeds and white pith in for more heat and remove them for less. Chop them very finely, since a large piece of chilli in one mouthful ruins the balance.
- Use a large bunch, chopped, including the tender stems. Chop it just before mixing, since coriander loses its aroma quickly once cut. Mix the drained tomato, rinsed onion, chilli and coriander together. Add lime juice and salt and toss gently.
- Add the lime just before serving rather than earlier, since acid softens the coriander and turns it dark within the hour. It should be sharp, salty and hot, and noticeably more assertive than seems right on its own.
- Serve it within two hours of making it. It is at its best in the first hour, since the tomato keeps releasing water and the coriander wilts however carefully you prepared it.
Technique
- It is chopped rather than blended or cooked.
- Seeding the tomatoes and draining them is what keeps it dry.
- Rinsing the chopped onion removes its harshness.
Substitutions
- Jalapeño in place of serrano, which is milder.
- Any firm ripe tomato, though roma is best.
Variations
- With diced avocado folded through.
- Made with mango or pineapple, alongside fish.
- Made hotter, with habanero.
Frequently asked questions
What is Pico de gallo?
Pico de gallo is a sauce & condiment from Mexico: fresh chopped tomato, onion, chile, and cilantro salsa.
How long does Pico de gallo take to make?
Pico de gallo takes 20 min plus 20 min draining of preparation and none of cooking. The recipe makes about 400 g. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Pico de gallo?
Yes, within limits. Jalapeño in place of serrano, which is milder. Any firm ripe tomato, though roma is best.
What is the most important thing to get right in Pico de gallo?
Cut everything into small even dice of roughly the same size, about half a centimetre. Uniform pieces are the point, since every spoonful should contain all four ingredients in proportion. Use a sharp knife rather than a food processor, which crushes the tomato and turns the whole thing into a wet pulp.