Incredible Tomato and Watermelon Thai Salad

This easy and flavourful salad is like a burst of joy in every bite! The combination of juicy tomatoes, sweet watermelon and the lively Thai dressing is a happy explosion of flavours that will make your taste buds dance with joy.

This Salad comes together in under 20 mins and embodies the sheer bliss of summer, bringing smiles and a sense of togetherness. This salad has the best of summer produce with the intensity and explosion of Thai aromatics and flavours. Enjoy this colourful creation and let it transport you to a world of happiness on a summer day!

Ingredients

For the Salad:

4-6 Tomatoes
2 cups of Watermelon pieces
1 Cucumber
1 cup of Thai Basil leaves
1/2 a Shallot or 1/4 red Onion sliced
1/2 cup of roasted Cashews
1 Tbsp of Sesame Seeds
1 Lime Zest

For the dressing:

2 Tbsp of Tamari or Soy sauce
1 Tbsp of freshly squeezed Lime
1 big clove of Garlic grated
1 thumb size grated fresh Ginger
1 red Chilli (see notes in the bottom)
1 tsp of Date syrup

About this recipe

I adore salads and I especially love tomatoes when in season. Biting into a ripe tomato is like tasting sunshine itself and whether you’re savouring a juicy cherry tomato, a meaty beefsteak, or a flavourful heirloom variety, the taste is an explosion of happiness that brings a smile to my face. My grandparents used to grow all kinds of veggies but to me, Watermelon is nature’s way of celebrating life and always brings me this warm, nostalgic feeling of careless childhood when happiness was as simple as indulging in the sweetness of a Watermelon on a sun-drenched day. I remember to feel the refreshing juice dribble down my chin and basking in the sheer joy of this summer delight. Tomato and Watermelon are to me the ultimate tastes of summer and as I love Thai food, I boldly put this salad together with all the aromatics and fiery spices inspired by Thai cuisine. We love it so much I really had to share it with you and I hope you like it as much as we do.

Instructions

Step 1 – Start by preparing the dressing. Grate the Ginger and Garlic. Cut the chilli in half lengthwise then deseed and remove membranes for a milder heat. Chop the Chilli and stir with the remaining ingredients: Soy sauce, Date syrup and Lime juice. Stir to combine. Give it a try and adjust the flavours by adding Date syrup if is too tart or Lime juice for extra zing.

Step 2 – Roast the raw Cashews in a pre-heated oven at 180C for 12 mins or until lightly golden.

Step 3 – Slice the Watermelon by cutting off the skin and white edge then cut into bite size bits and deseed. I’m cutting in little triangles but you can be creative and do cubes, spheres or any shape you fancy.

Step 4 – Cut the Cucumber also in bite sized pieces and slice all the Tomatoes in wedges. Thinly slice the Shallot or red Onion and roughly cut the big Thai Basil leaves, keeping the small leaves whole.

Step 5 – Assemble your salad in layers by colour. I start with the Cucumber, red Tomatoes, yellow Tomatoes, then topping with the Watermelon.

Step 6 – Finish it by layering the green Tomatoes and Thai Basil. Spread the dressing evenly throughout the top of the Salad and sprinkle with Sesame seeds and chopped roasted Cashews.

About the Ingredients

Tomatoes: I’m using a mix of Heirloom tomatoes: Green Zebra, Black Krim and Ida Gold. You can use any tomato you find around you or in your Garden if you are lucky to have one. I like to use different colours and varieties. Cherry tomatoes also work well in this recipe. Tomatoes are a fruit from the nightshade family native to South America. Despite botanically being a fruit it’s generally eaten and prepared like a vegetable. Tomatoes are a major dietary source of the antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to many health benefits including reduced risk of heart disease and cancer. They are a great source of vitamin C, potassium, folate, and vitamin K. Usually red when mature, tomatoes can also come in a variety of colours including yellow, orange, green, and purple. What’s more, many subspecies of tomatoes exist with different shapes and flavours.

Watermelon: Watermelon consists of 91% water and 7.5% carbs. Originally from southern Africa, it provides almost no protein or fat and is very low in calories. It’s related to cantaloupe, zucchini, pumpkin, and cucumber. Watermelon is a good dietary source of both citrulline and lycopene, which are two powerful plant compounds. This juicy melon has several health benefits including lower blood pressure, improved insulin sensitivity, and reduced muscle soreness.

Cucumber: if you don’t have it you can omit but it adds a lovely texture and hearty flavour to this Salad. Cucumbers are low in calories and contain a good amount of water and soluble fibre making them ideal for promoting hydration and help in weight loss. To maximize their nutrient content cucumbers should be eaten unpeeled. Peeling them reduces the amount of fibre as well as certain vitamins and minerals.

Thai Basil: I’m using Thai basil here but you can swap with sweet Basil, they both go very well in this Salad. Thai basil has a stronger, more distinct flavour with notes of anise and licorice so if using sweet basil you may want to increase the amount.

Shallot or Red Onion: Shallots have a milder and sweeter flavour than red onions and they also contain more calories and nutrition per serving due to their density. On a per-calorie basis, however, their nutritional profiles are similar. Red Onions have a milder and sweeter taste than white or yellow onions but not as much as Shallots.

Roasted Cashews: You can substitute with other nuts or seeds. Make sure to roast in the oven or toast them in a dry frying pan over medium heat for about 3 to 5 minutes. This will bring out their natural nutty flavours and oils, which add even more dimension to the salad. I think roasted Cashews work the best as they add a crunchy texture but also a creamy, buttery flavour that compliments the warm, spicy Thai dressing.

Lime zest and Juice: Zest the Lime over the Salad and use the juice of half the lime in the dressing. Add the Lime juice a bit at the time because some Limes can be very feisty and make your dressing too zingy. You can substitute with Lemon but the flavour profile will be a bit different.

Red Chilli: I tried with Thai Chillies aka bird’s eye chillies and it was really spicy, even without the seeds and membranes. If you like it very spicy go ahead and use Thai Chillies to keep it more traditional. If, like me, you like spicy but still want to taste the other ingredients then this long red Chilli has the perfect balance. You can also deseed and cut out the interior membranes for a milder spice but don’t skip it. Alternatively you can use chilli flakes.

Grated Garlic and Ginger: These 2 aromatics are the most important ingredient in our dressing. Their warmth and fire bring out the vibrant Thai smell and taste. Garlic and ginger contain powerful anti-inflammatory plant compounds that help protect against cellular damage.