Watermelon Cilantro Salad

This sweet and savoury salad refreshes the palate and cools the mouth.  It’s especially wonderful on a hot day, or when you’ve just had a mouthful of very spicy chilies.  Best of all, it’s so quick to prepare!

1 round of cold watermelon, cut in a ½ inch slice, then cut into cubes

2 tablespoons very finely diced chives, or scallions

10 fresh mint leaves

15 stalks cilantro

5 arugula leaves

2 chive flowers

a few grates of black pepper

½ lemon, juiced

Make sure the watermelon has been chilled first.  Cutting it into cubes is the most work here, and that takes all of about five minutes. 

Even if the greens don’t come from your garden, wash them and dry them well.  Press the mint leaves together gently, and roll.  Use scissors to cut them into thin strips.  Using scissors, also cut up the cilantro, including the clean ends of the stalks.  You can use the arugula stalks as well, if the plants are young, otherwise, just the leaves.  

The carefully washed chive flowers can be gently rubbed into a towel to dry them, then the petals can be pulled apart, thrown into the mix of all the above ingredients.  Toss, and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate till served.

This makes a great side dish, the perfect accompaniment to our barbecued lamb, spicy barbecued potatoes, shredded radish salad, and a special channa, that’s still to come.  Stay tuned.

What do you like to eat on a too hot day?

The colours before our last storm glowed!  The flash doesn't quite capture it, but you kind of get the picture.  The red car down the street was positively vibrating.  These storms cool us down pretty fast!  Most luckily we didn't get the hail!