Watermelon Salad

Does anyone know how to select a really juicy, sweet and flavorful watermelon? I am never really lucky although i follow all the best ways suggested like - to look at the color and quality of the flesh, which should be a deep color and absent from white streaks. If it features seeds, they should be deep in color. Oftentimes, however, we do not have this liberty when purchasing watermelon since it is more common to buy a whole, uncut fruit. When choosing a whole watermelon, look for one that is HEAVY for its size with a rind that is relatively smooth and that is neither overly shiny nor overly dull. In addition, one side of the melon should have an area that is distinct in color from the rest of the rind, displaying a yellowish or creamy tone. This is the underbelly, the place that was resting on the ground during ripening, and if the fruit does not have this marking, it may have been harvested prematurely, which will negatively affect its taste, texture and juiciness.





Although winter is coming upon us soon, watermelons can still be found in the markets but the season for watermelon is in the summer when they are sweet and of the best quality.No other fruit says summer like the subtly crunchy, thirst quenching watermelon. This post is way overdue and i posted it so that friends from down under and the tropics can enjoy this delicious, refreshing and easy to prepare salad.

For recipe click HERE

Gado Gado

Gado gado is a classic, traditional Indonesian salad drizzled with a luscious. mouthwatering  peanut sauce which has a rich, nutty flavor and a delightful creamy texture. Gado gado is such a hearty and filling salad that it can easily be eaten as a complete meal. A variety of vegetables can be used for this salad - like carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, french beans, kangkong etc.  Preparing the vegetables is no big deal, just remember

to allow the water for blanching to return to a rolling boil after adding each vegetable to ensure they are cooked according to the times allocated. DRAIN the blanched vegetables and rinse under cold water to refresh.  For the potatoes - cooked them with skin on until fork tender, peel skin away and then cubed.  The only tedious prep is making the Peanut Sauce -if you have 'sambal paste' ready, it is not a big deal.  It will be easier if you don't want the roast the peanuts - use crunchy peanut butter.
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Ingredients

Satay Sauce

Cooked potatoes—peeled and cubed

Green beans—cut into 1 1/2 to 2 inches lengths - blanched

Cucumber - sliced

Cabbage - cut into bite size and blanched

Bean sprouts - blanched

Fried Tofu - cut into bite size

Sweet peppers - cut into bite size

Hard boiled eggs - cut into quarters

PREPARE the satay sauce following the method from Malaysian Satay

To assemble the salad:

 ARRANGE equal amounts of each vegetable on plates, garnish with egg quarters, and drizzle with satay sauce to serve.