Ingredients

Method

For the dressing:
• 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
• 1 red chilli, chopped
• 2 t caster sugar
• 1 T lime juice
• 1 T fish sauce
• 1 T vegetable oil
• 2 fennel bulbs
• 650 g peeled watermelon, scooped with a spoon
• Basil leaves a handful
• Mint leaves a handful
• Coriander leaves a handful
• 16 raw king prawns, peeled
• 1 T vegetable oil
• Sea salt, to taste

Method

Ingredients

To make the dressing, pound the garlic with the chilli and sugar in a pestle and mortar to make a coarse paste. Stir in the lime juice, fish sauce and oil. Taste the dressing and balance the flavours as you wish with more lime juice, fish sauce or sugar. Set aside.

Finely slice the fennel, ideally with a mandolin, if you have one. Pile onto a large serving dish with the watermelon and herbs.

Set a large, non- stick frying pan on a high heat. Rub the prawns with the oil and season with sea salt, then place in the hot pan. Cook for 1 minute, then turn and cook for 30 seconds until golden on both sides. Lay the prawns on the salad, drizzle over the dressing and serve immediately.

Chef's note: “Nothing can wake up your palate and fill you with sunshine quite like an Asian salad. Opposing textures and flavours are what make this salad great. Crunchy raw vegetables, sweet juicy fruit, soft fragrant herbs and sweet prawns are all brought together with a vibrant dressing. Delicious.”

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