Watermelon Salad with Peppered Pickles
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There’s a perception that pickling is a major process that takes months to achieve, but in Asian cooking vegies are often pickled and eaten soon after. I’ve suggested you wait an hour or so to let the pickles cool, but then go for it! You’ll love the freshness and lightness of just-pickled veg, which gives a gentle crunch to this salad, and perfectly balances the sweet watermelon.
Recipe details
Serves: Recipe for 4.
Protein: Vegetarian
Ingredients
4 radishes, cut into sixths
½ bittermelon, balled with a melon baller
1 squash, cut into 16 wedges
1 persimmon, peeled and diced
1 shallot, sliced
1 star anise
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
190 g (6½ oz) palm sugar (jaggery)
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
300 ml (10 fl oz) rice vinegar
20 g (¾ oz) salt
100 ml (3½ fl oz) oil for frying
15 g (½ oz/½ cup) curry leaves
1 watermelon, balled with a melon baller
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
Method
For the pickles, first sanitise a large glass jar by washing it with soapy water, then pouring fresh boiling water in it. Pour the water out, then put the radish, bittermelon, squash, persimmon and shallot in the jar. Put 300 ml (10 fl oz) of water into a saucepan and add the star anise, peppercorns, palm sugar, turmeric and rice vinegar and salt. Bring it to the boil and pour over the pickles. Put the lid on and let the pickles sit for at least an hour.
While the pickles do their thing, pour the oil in a frying pan over a high heat and fry the curry leaves. Once the oil is the right temperature it won’t take more than 30 seconds to fry the leaves. Set aside.
Once the pickles have cooled down and softened, strain them and mix them with the watermelon and tomato. Dress with a touch of the pickle liquid. Once combined, plate the salad, garnish with the curry leaves and serve!