I'm used to watermelon and mint salad just involving whole mint leaves tossed with watermelon, feta, and maybe a little oil and/or vinegar. I've never seen one that goes to the trouble of making a whole vinaigrette before. It was an interesting approach. And I appreciated how much mint it used up!

Watermelon and Feta Salad with Mint Vinaigrette

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 3/4 c. fresh mint, divided
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 fresh mild chile (optional)
• 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. lime juice
• 2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 650g watermelon, cubed
• 185g feta, diced

Directions

1. Combine 1/2 c. of the mint with the sugar in a blender or food processor and chop.
2. Add the chile (if using), vinegar, and lime juice and purée.
3. With motor running, drizzle in the olive oil.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Add the watermelon and feta to a bowl and toss with dressing.
6. Top with remaining mint leaves and serve.

Makkai Parangikai Kari (Corn Curry)

This curry is meant to be made with corn and white pumpkin, but Iyer suggests the using the inner rind of a watermelon as an alternative to the pumpkin, so I decided to give that a go. We had lots of watermelon that needed to be used anyway, so I figured that saved me going out and trying to find another ingredient.

Makkai Parangikai Kari

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh ginger
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom seeds (from green pods)
• 2 fresh green¹ Thai, finger, or serrano chilies, stems removed
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1 Tbsp. canola (or other neutral) oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 c. coconut milk
• 2 c. fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 450g white pumpkin (or inner watermelon rind), peeled and seeded and cut into 2cm cubes
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 12 fresh or frozen curry leaves
• 1 c. water

Directions

1. Combine ginger, peppercorns, cardamom seeds, chilies, and salt in a molcajete and grind/pound to form a pulpy paste.
2. Heat oil over medium-high heat.
3. Add the mustard seeds, cover, and cook until they have stopped popping (30-60 seconds).
4. Add the coconut milk.
5. Stir in the paste from the molcajete, then remove from heat and allow mixture to sit for a minute or so.
6. Add the corn, pumpkin (or watermelon rind), cilantro, curry leaves, and water.
7. Return to heat and bring to a boil.
8. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are fork tender (~15 minutes).
9. Serve topped with your favourite chutney. (I like sonth/tamarind-date chutney.)

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¹ I had a few leftover fresh red finger chilies on hand, so I just used those instead here. It changed the colour of the curry (making it more pinkish than green), but was very similar otherwise. ^Back

Tarbooz ki Subzi (Watermelon with Garlic and Chilies)

Watermelon was on special last week, so I grabbed one. It was huge! The Kidlet loves watermelon and was very excited. But even she can't eat that much watermelon before it goes off. That's where the watermelon curry came in. I was dubious of something I normal associate as a sweet fruit in such a savoury application, but I was also quite curious. As it turns out, I'm not a huge fan, but I'm glad I tried it. It's not terrible, it's just not my cup of tea.

Tarbooz ki Subzi

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 1 (1.4kg) piece of watermelon
• 2 Tbsp. canola (or other neutral) oil
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. bishop's weed¹
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds
• 4 dried red Thai, cayenne, or arbol chilies
• 4 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1 c. water
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Peel the dark green skin from the watermelon. Do not remove the light green rind.
2. Separate the light green rind from the red flesh and cut both into 2cm cubes, keeping them separate.
3. Heat oil over medium-high heat.
4. Add the cumin, bishop's weed, nigella, and chilies and cook for 15-20 seconds.
5. Add the garlic and cook for another 30-60 seconds.
6. Add the turmeric.
7. Immediately add the watermelon rind and salt and stir-fry for ~5 minutes.
8. Add water, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for ~10 minutes.
9. Stir in the watermelon flesh, raise heat to medium-high, and simmer vigorously, uncovered, for ~5 minutes.
10. Sprinkle in cilantro and serve.

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¹ If you don't have bishop's weed a 1:1 ratio of dried thyme and ground black pepper makes a reasonable substitute. ^Back

I needed to use up some excess cucumber and the kidlet loves watermelon, so this salad seemed like a natural choice. It's quick, easy, tasty, and refreshing. It's actually quick and easy enough that I could see myself making it as a side dish when I need some extra fruit and/or veg to go with a meal. (I'm usually a fan of one-pot meals. Even when something really needs a side to round it out, I'll rarely actually make one.)

Watermelon-Cucumber Salad

Slightly adapted from Country Living

Ingredients

• 3 c. cubed watermelon
• 1 English cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• scant 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
• ~50 grinds black pepper
• 1/4-1/2 c. crumbled feta (depending on how much you like feta)
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in salad bowl. Toss to mix well and serve.