Sourdough toast with avocado, radish and chili-lime yogurt

Fresh, creamy and crisp on sourdough

This toast is all about contrast. Ripe avocado is soft and rich, while radish adds a juicy bite and a mild peppery flavor. The yogurt makes the topping creamy without making it too heavy; chili oil adds warmth, and lime keeps the flavors bright. Sturdy sourdough bread can hold these moist toppings well. A light, thin slice will go soggy more quickly, so choose slices about one and a half centimeters thick.

Mash the avocado with a fork, deliberately leaving some larger pieces. This keeps its texture distinct and makes the topping less likely to slide off the bread. Lime juice adds acidity and also slows the flesh from browning, but the toast tastes best when eaten right away. Use a ripe avocado that yields slightly when pressed gently; a hard avocado is difficult to mash roughly, while a very soft one is more likely to turn into a smooth purée.

Radishes are widely available in the Netherlands, especially in spring and summer, but you can often find them outside that season too. Choose firm ones with smooth skins and slice them thinly, using a sharp knife or a mandoline, for example. The thinner the slices, the more easily they sit on the toast and the less they overpower the soft avocado. If the radishes are sharp, the yogurt and avocado help balance their bite.

You can use full-fat or low-fat yogurt; a thicker variety stays on the bread better. Stir in a little lime juice and add chili oil to taste. Chili oils vary quite a bit in heat, so start with a little and taste before adding more. No chili oil on hand? A pinch of chili flakes with a small drizzle of neutral oil is a handy substitute. Lemon can replace the lime, though it has a slightly different citrus aroma.

Serve the toast for lunch with a simple green salad or a bowl of soup. For a more filling meal, you can serve a boiled egg alongside; this is an extra addition and isn’t needed for the basic recipe. Add the toppings just before eating, since the avocado and yogurt will soften the toast over time. If you have avocado left over, cover it and store it in the fridge with a little lime juice drizzled over it, and use it soon if possible.