Three beaks of the rooster salsa (Pico de gallo)

Pico de gallo, pronounced gayo, is Mexico's most basic salsas. The name means "beak of the rooster" for the salsa's sharp taste. There are infinite variations to this salsa but the most basic is with tomatoes only, or avocado only, and with a mix of avocado and tomato. Hence the name Three beaks of the rooster for this salsa.

This basic salsa is found in every Mexican taqueria and home and is used both as a dip or a topping for tacos, burritos and quesadillas. In my mind, a good Mexican restaurant is determined by how good their basic salsa is, it is my litmus test that has worked very well.

Here is a simple version that is beautifully flavoured. The avocado adds a wonderful creaminess and the chillies add that zing. The salsa comes together beautifully, herby, spicy and very versatile. This will be a salsa that will disappear fast on any table.

This small, specialized volume of salsas has recipes for the most basic taqueria salsa to fresh fruit salsas, and complex salsas like this one. This is my go-to cookbook for salsas and I recommend that you get it for its amazing variety of salsas.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

2-3 serrano or other green chillies, finely minced

1 small white onion, finely minced

Salt, to taste

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium ripe tomato, finely diced

1 large avocado

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl with a fork mashing the avocado in till very smooth. Taste for salt and chilli. Keep chilled till ready to serve.