Ingredients
For the dressing
- 1 garlic clove
- a handful of coriander stems or roots
- 1 tsp golden caster sugar
- 1 red chilli, deseeded, plus 1 tsp chopped to garnish
- 2cm/¾in piece of root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- juice of 3 limes and 1½ oranges
For the salad
- 1 small watermelon, weighing about 1.8kg/4lb
- 24 large cooked and peeled tiger prawns
- 4 spring onions, finely sliced
- 2 trimmed stems of lemongrass, finely sliced
- 4cm/1½in root ginger, peeled, cut into fine matchsticks
- zest of 1 lime
- 3 lime leaves, shredded (optional)
- a handful each of coriander and mint leaves, chopped
- 100g roasted salted peanuts or cashews, to garnish
Method
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Three hours before serving: make the dressing. Put the garlic and coriander in a food processor with 1 tsp salt and the sugar, then pulse to a pulp. Add the chilli, ginger and citrus juices and pulse until smooth. Cover and chill.
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Two hours before serving: cut the watermelon into segments, remove the skin and seed the flesh. Cut into lozenges about 3cm wide.
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Mix the melon and prawns and add the spring onions, lemongrass, ginger, lime zest and lime leaves. Chill.
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To serve: toss the dressing and herbs into the salad and scatter with chilli and peanuts.