Description
A refreshing and vibrant Spicy Cucumber & Watermelon Salad featuring tender rice noodles, crisp cucumber, juicy watermelon, and a zesty lime and chili dressing, topped with crunchy roasted peanuts and fresh mint. Perfect for a light, flavorful summer dish with a balance of sweetness, heat, and tang.
Ingredients
Scale
Noodles
- 100g dried flat rice noodles
Dressing
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 small red chilli, deseeded if preferred less heat, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- ½ tbsp crispy chilli oil
- ½ tbsp sesame oil
- Pinch of sugar
- Pinch of salt
Salad
- 1 whole cucumber, cut in half and deseeded
- ½ small watermelon (approx. 500g), skin and seeds removed, flesh cut into chunks
- Small handful of fresh mint leaves, picked and finely chopped
- 25g roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Cook the noodles: Prepare the dried flat rice noodles according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain them thoroughly and rinse under cold water to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Prepare the dressing base: In a large bowl, combine the fresh lime juice and finely chopped shallot with a pinch of salt. Let this mixture sit for about 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the shallot to soften.
- Add chili and sauces: Stir in the finely chopped red chilli, soy sauce, crispy chilli oil, sesame oil, and a pinch of sugar into the lime and shallot mixture. Mix well and allow the dressing to rest for another 5 minutes to deepen the flavors.
- Combine salad ingredients: Roughly slice the deseeded cucumber halves, then add them to the bowl along with the cooked and cooled noodles, watermelon chunks, and chopped fresh mint. Toss everything together gently to evenly coat all ingredients with the dressing.
- Serve: Transfer the salad to serving plates or a bowl and sprinkle the roughly chopped roasted peanuts over the top to add a satisfying crunch. Serve immediately to enjoy the fresh, spicy, and sweet flavors at their best.
Notes
- To reduce heat, remove all seeds from the red chilli before chopping.
- Flat rice noodles can be substituted with thin vermicelli or glass noodles if preferred.
- The salad is best served fresh; the watermelon releases juice if left to sit for too long.
- For added protein, grilled shrimp or tofu can be included.
- Adjust the amount of chilli oil based on your spice tolerance.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Asian Fusion
Keywords: Spicy cucumber watermelon salad, Asian salad, rice noodle salad, summer salad, refreshing salad, lime dressing, chili oil salad
