Have you ever tried an avocado smoothie or shake? An avocado might not seem like a smoothie ingredient but if you’ve ever visited Indonesia you know how delicious it is.

In Indonesia it’s called jus/es alpukat and it’s a common treat. Below, I’ll share my experience with this snack/dessert and I’ll share my secret recipe!

Being an Indo in California, it’s perfectly normal for me to eat avocado in both savory dishes and sweet desserts, but for half of the world population the thought of having it in a sweet cold drink is probably quite repulsing, the reverse of how my mom thought the first time she took a bite of a carne asada burrito and found guacamole inside.

She cringed at first and it took a little getting used to, but now she could enjoy avocado other than in a sweet drink.

MY MEMORY OF AVOCADO SMOOTHIE IN INDONESIA

Avocado smoothies are on the menu of just about every food establishment in Indonesia’s major cities.  I could be sitting on a communal bench, savoring my cold avocado smoothie at a dusty street food stall at night waiting for a bowl of spicy mutton curry or lounging at the Four Seasons Hotel in Jimbaran Bali, with this chilled green concoction, looking over the Indian Ocean while waiting for my nasi goreng breakfast.

Typically, you can order them with or without chocolate.  I, of course, preferred the chocolate version growing up.  I loved the presentation with streaks of gooey chocolate ribbon adorning the side of the glass contrasted by the thick, muted green smoothie.

Unfortunately, the chocolate had to be stirred and mixed in before drinking.  Then came the slurping and, without realizing, the too small straw started making loud noises and I was sucking air.

And you know what was worst?  The main dish had not even been served yet.  Yeah, for the rest of the meal I had to settle with an iced tea since my parents would very rarely let me order a second glass.

INTRODUCING AVOCADO SMOOTHIE TO MY KIDS

When my kids were just 2 and 5 years old, I was lucky enough to take a much needed two-month break from my day job as an accountant and vacationed with them in Indonesia.  After a long 20 plus hours flight from Los Angeles to Jakarta, tired, smelly and excited to see family, we had to make a stop for dinner at Ayam Goreng Suharti on our way to my parents’ house (for some reason, this has always been my go-to meal shortly after landing).

Like any good mommy, I ordered for both girls.  When the chilled drink came out, they were a little taken back by the green color, at that age my kids associated green with yucky vegetables.

But as soon as they took a sip, they realized how yummy the green smoothie is.  From then on, they would always order the chocolate version whenever they got a chance through the remaining of our two-month vacation.

ABOUT AVOCADO: varieties, how to store and avocado as a superfood

Variety

Living in Southern California, we have plenty of options as far as avocado.  Normally, I can find Fuerte, Bacon and Reed in our local Farmers Market.  In a pinch, Haas is always available in every grocery store, but Fuerte is definitely my top choice.

What distinguished Fuerte from the rest is the creaminess of the flesh and I swear Fuerte does not bruise as easily as Haas. Their season is mid-winter through spring – although last year I did not spot a single one in the spring, but luckily the production seems to bounce back this winter. 

Between my sister and I, we have found quite a bit of Fuertes in local avocado stands and farmers markets.  If you ever come across Fuertes at your local Farmers Market or if you have a neighbor that grows them, make sure to get in line for them.

Trust me, you will not be disappointed. 

How to store an avocado

Avocados do not ripen on the tree, meaning if you have avocado trees, the best place to store them is on the tree itself – the fruits can last for several months on the tree!  Once picked, it will take several days to ripen at room temperature.

A little trick my mom told me to soften avocado faster is to put them in a paper bag with a banana, and a little trick I learned to slow down the ripening process is by refrigerating them.  This will extend its freshness for a couple more days. 

Avocado is a superfood

These days, you’ll find avocado in menu rotations for the health-conscious individuals: think whole grain avocado toast or egg white omelette with veggies and avocado for breakfast.

It is not at all surprising because of the abundant of nutrients contained per serving.  Avocado is high in Vitamin K, Folate, Vitamin C, Vitamin B5, B6 and Vitamin E.

It has more potassium than a banana which is considered a high potassium fruit.  It is also a very unique fruit because of the low carb and high fat content.

The fat in avocado is the good kind, which is monounsaturated and has been linked to reduce inflammation and help prevent certain cancer in a variety of studies.  So yes, why not make them as a smoothie?

They are loaded with all the nutrients and it’s pretty darn delicious and so simple to make.

PREPARATION TIPS

Just like any other smoothie/shake, this delicious drink is very easy to prepare, ten minutes top from start to finish.  If my 8-year old is capable of whipping this up, so can you!

All you need are a couple of avocados, milk, crushed ice and to make the authentic Indonesian version, condensed milk is a must. 

To make the chocolate version, I usually resort to these two options:

First option:

• Add unsweetened cocoa powder in the mixture before blending.  I love the intensity of chocolate flavor on this option, but the downside, there are no pretty gooey streaks of chocolate to marvel at and the color is greenish brownish (yes, not very appetizing nor great for picture taking).

Second option:

• Make a quick chocolate sauce in the microwave by mixing chocolate chips/chocolate pieces with heavy cream.  I usually start with about 1 Tbs. of chocolate pieces and 2 Tbs. of cream warmed for 15 seconds, stir and warm for another 10-15 seconds.
• Stir well, if too thin, stir in more chocolate until you get a consistency of thick chocolate sauce that can drip off a spoon.  I use a squeeze bottle to make the design on the wall of the glass.  A great and fun project for the kids to do!

SUBSTITUTING INGREDIENTS

What’s great about making this at home is that you can add, adjust, and substitute the ingredients, well, except the avocado.  You can opt out of condensed milk and use honey or agave as a sweetener.

You can sub milk with coconut milk or almond milk or even water as the liquid agent.  I have made the dairy-free version while breastfeeding my lactose-intolerant baby.

Also feel free to use any store-bought chocolate sauce in lieu of homemade sauce.  Hershey chocolate syrup is the go-to ingredient for the chocolate version in Indonesia.

If you’d like a little pick me up, you can add some coffee (or turn it into an adult beverage by adding kahlua) instead of chocolate sauce.  And if you like whipped cream on top, don’t be shy.  Put a dollop or two.

Yield: 2

INDONESIAN AVOCADO SMOOTHIE (SHAKE) - jus/es alpukat

Print

Avocado smoothie/shake

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 large avocados
• 1 cup milk
• ½ cup crushed ice
• 4-5 Tbs. condensed milk
• 1 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)

For Chocolate Sauce (optional)

• 1 Tbs. dark chocolate chips (or semisweet if you prefer)
• 2 Tbs. heavy cream

Instructions

1. Combine all smoothie ingredients in the jar of a blender.
2. Process until smooth. Add more milk if you prefer runnier consistency and do add more condensed milk if you like yours sweeter. If you opt for cocoa powder, I have to warn you, the color is going to be a little less appetizing. Greenish brown, but it tastes delicious.
3. Serve in a glass/mason jar and enjoy.

Chocolate Sauce

1. Combine chocolate and cream in a microwavable container and microwave for 10 seconds. Stir. Reheat for another 10 seconds and stir until smooth and silky.
2. Make chocolate ribbon by drizzling with a spoon or fork on the inside of glass, then pour smoothie and drizzle some more sauce on top.

Notes

1. I’ve been using my food processor to make this since my blender has been out of commission. If no blender or food processor, you can always resort to your strong hand and a fork to mash the avocado. This is how my dad makes them sometimes.
2. If you decide to use sweetened condensed milk, be sure not to get evaporated milk. My ex has come back more than once with the wrong can of milk, and they are not interchangeable. (I wonder if this is why he’s now my ex...).
3. I learned a trick from an ex-coworker on how to get an avocado seed out safely. Place the seeded avocado half on your palm, skin side down, lightly squeeze and the seed should come right out easily.

CONCLUSION

If you identify with the world population that only eats avocado with your tacos or salad, I hope you will give this smoothie a try.  Aside from being packed with all the nutrients, it is simple to make and just plain delicious.

If you’re an experienced avocado smoothie drinker, I hope you will be inspired to make it soon.