Mexican avocado and corn salad

I've already lamented the poor quality of figs and chestnuts sold in Finland. With avocados the situation has luckily vastly improved over the past years and even the smallest shops now seem to stock perfectly ripe avocados ready  to be devoured. Which is nice, seeing how I'm no longer able to nick source them directly from the neighbour's tree...

The vegan association in Finland is challenging people to take part in Vegan January (seriously, as if Dry January wouldn't be enough! Not that we're taking part in that one either...) so we, too, decided to go vegan. For one meal, anyway. A friend came over to get ideas as her daughter has become a full-time vegan so, the salad itself is vegan. In the end our  meal wasn't as we had it with garlicky tortilla crisps and some Greek yogurt sprinkled with fleur de sel and pimentòn. Oh, and coconut-crusted fish fritters based on this prawn recipe. 

Vegan challenge, attempt #1. Fail. This salad, luckily, not at all.

On top of everything else it's so quick and easy it's almost embarrassing to even talk about cooking - seeing how most of the ingredients come in a tin...

Serves 4, as a side dish 6-8

Corn, avocado and black bean salad:

2 avocados

1 tin (285 g) corn

1 tin (285 g) black beans

1 green pepper

1 red onion

the juice of 1,5  limes

1 tbsp brown sugar

Dressing:

the juice of 1/2 lime

the finely grated zest of 1 lime

1/ 2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander seeds

1/4 tsp pimentón

pinch of cayenne

1/2 - 1 jalopeño, minced (depending on the size, feistiness... and your palate)

1/4 dl oil

salt, pepper, large bunch of coriander

Start with prepping the onion. Peel and slice it. Squeeze the lime juice and which in sugar until it's completely dissolved. Pour over the onion and leave to marinate and soften while you prep rest of the salad.

Cut the avocados in half, remove the stone and scoop out the flesh. Cut into slices (or chunks, which ever way you prefer). Cut the pepper too.

Drain corn and black beans. Combine with red onion and rest of the veggies. Fold in chopped coriander leaves. Combine the ingredients for the dressing and toss into the salad. Check the taste and season as needed. Serve.

You could also serve this as a side with grilled chicken, fish or seafood or mix them directly into the salad.

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ANYONE FOR SECONDS?