Seven Layer Dip

Method

1. mix3 min
   beans cool or room temperature
   stir the refried beans smooth with half the cumin and spread them in an even layer across the bottom of a shallow serving dish. A cold stiff mound tears the layers above it when people scoop; smooth beans make the foundation cohesive without making it loose.
2. mash4 min
   leave a little texture
   avocado + lime juice + 1/4 tsp salt until spreadable but not puréed, then spoon it over the beans and ease it outward with the back of a spoon. Lime seasons the avocado and slows surface browning, but too much liquid makes the green layer slide.
3. mix2 min
   cold
   sour cream + remaining cumin + a pinch of salt until uniform, then spread gently over the avocado. Drop spoonfuls across the surface first and connect them rather than dragging one heavy mound through the softer layer below.
4. prep6 min
   tomato mixture drains before it touches the dip
   tomato + diced onion + jalapeño + remaining salt, left in a strainer for 5 minutes, then shaken dry. Tomato water is the main structural failure in a layered dip: if it enters the dish, it runs down the sides and turns the bean base soupy.
5. season3 min
   build in distinct layers
   scatter the drained tomato mixture over the sour cream, then + cheddar + drained olives + green onions in that order. Do not press the cheese down; the loose top layers are what let a chip enter without squeezing the cream and avocado out the sides.
6. rest10 min
   refrigerated, loosely covered
   chill before serving so the creamy layers firm and the bean base cools completely. Serve cold; holding it for hours uncovered dries the cheese, while sealing it warm creates condensation that undoes the moisture control you built into the tomato layer.