Watermelon + Cucumber Salad With Sambal Vinaigrette

Star Tested Little Sister’s Indonesian-inspired fruit salad is made with compressed watermelon and garnished with radish and basil cress, but home cooks can skip both steps.

This makes a large portion of vinaigrette and small portion of salad, which can be multiplied as needed. Use a kitchen rasp to grate frozen, peeled ginger into a fluffy pile and be sure to keep it fluffy while measuring. Quarter your cucumber lengthwise and then chop.

Sambal Vinaigrette: 1/4 cup (60 mL) sambal oelek (Asian ground chili paste) 1/4 cup (60 mL) unseasoned rice vinegar 3 tbsp (45 mL) lemon juice 2 tbsp (30 mL) grated frozen, peeled ginger (use Microplane or other kitchen rasp) 1 tbsp (15 mL) red or white miso paste 1/3 cup (80 mL) olive oil Salad: 1-1/2 cups (375 mL) seedless watermelon in 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes 1/2 cup (125 mL) seeded, peeled English cucumber in 1/2-inch (1-cm) pieces 1/2 radish, very thinly sliced (preferably on mandolin) 1 tsp (5 mL) seeded red finger chili finely sliced in half rings 4 mint leaves, thinly sliced 3 tbsp (45 mL) Sambal Vinaigrette Pinch kosher salt For vinaigrette, in mixing bowl, gently whisk sambal oelek, rice vinegar, lemon, ginger and miso. Whisk in oil until combined. Transfer to plastic squeeze bottle. Refrigerate up to 1 month. Makes almost1 cup (250 mL).

For salad, in small mixing bowl, combine watermelon, cucumber, radish, chili and mint. Add 2 tbsp (30 mL) vinaigrette and salt. Gently toss with large spoon.

Transfer to serving bowl. Drizzle with remaining 1 tbsp (15 mL) vinaigrette.

Makes 1 to 2 side servings. jbain@thestar.ca