Watermelon & Feta Salad With Mint

Up until I got into full-fledged food blogging, Watermelon & Feta Salad was unheard of to me. Coming from a typical Indian family as I do, salads were something only made with things like, say, moong sprouts or cucumber. Fruits were meant to be eaten as fruits, and the idea of using them in a salad was unheard of. And, feta cheese? What on earth was that? Cheese meant only Amul cheese, little foil-wrapped cubes that came in a box, and were supposed to be picked up off a departmental store shelf. After food blogging happened, though, all of this changed – for the better, I would say.

Food blogging introduced me to a whole new world of food out there, some of which was very different from what I grew up with. It generated in me awareness of just how harmful packaged stuff can be, and taught me to make healthier, more balanced choices. I began to get fascinated with world cuisine, at the same time as huge respect being welling up inside me for the knowledge our ancestors must have possessed, for the way their food was so down to earth, so close to the seasons, so simple. I began to experiment with a lot more ingredients, a lot more dishes – all those lovely-sounding foods I saw on restaurant menus, I started studying and trying to make at home. This Watermelon & Feta Salad With Mint is one such thing that I tried at several restaurants, and then learnt to make at home.

I prefer keeping this Watermelon & Feta Salad really simple, using just the most basic of ingredients. I love how the sweet juiciness of the ripe watermelon combines with the creamy saltiness of feta to create an explosion of flavour. I use fresh basil or mint leaves in this salad, depending upon what I can get my hands on, and I love how it adds oomph to it.

This Watermelon & Feta Salad With Mint is perfect for the hot days of summer, cooling and refreshing. It can be put together in just a few minutes, once you have the requisite ingredients ready, making for a wonderful mid-morning or evening snack. High in water content and several other nutrients, the low-calorie watermelon is quite filling and makes for the right salad material. Good-quality feta is a relatively low-calorie cheese, again with quite a few nutrients present in it. However, thanks to the relatively high amount of salt in it, it is important to use it in lesser quantities, which works out beautifully in this salad as it is used to even out the sweetness of the watermelon.

Now, without further ado, let’s check out the recipe for this Watermelon & Feta Salad With Mint.

Ingredients (serves 2):

1. 2 heaped cups cubed ripe watermelon, seeds removed
2. About 1/4 cup of crumbled feta cheese or as per taste
3. 10 fresh mint leaves

Method:

1. Take the cubed watermelon in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add in the crumbled feta cheese.
3. Roughly tear the mint leaves, using your hands, and add them to the mixing bowl.
4. Mix up all the ingredients in the mixing bowl gently. Place the salad into two serving plates, and serve immediately.

Notes:

1. For best results, use ripe, juicy watermelon that is nice and sweet.
2. Use only the red part of the watermelon, for making this Watermelon & Feta Salad With Mint.
3. Use only good-quality watermelon and feta cheese, for a great-tasting salad.
4. Adjust the quantity of watermelon and feta cheese as per personal taste preferences.
5. Make sure the watermelon is thoroughly cleaned, the skin, seeds and rind removed fully.
6. The fresh mint leaves used in the above recipe can be substituted by fresh basil leaves.
7. You can add in a drizzle of balsamic vinegar or lemon juice and a dash of salt to the salad, too. I have kept it really basic, though, and have added only the most essential of ingredients.
8. You may use the seedless version of watermelon to make this salad, so it is easier to clean and use.
9. This Watermelon & Feta Salad With Mint tastes best when made with chilled watermelon. Clean and cube the watermelon, then chill it in the refrigerator for at least an hour before you make this salad.
10. Serve the Watermelon & Feta Salad With Mint immediately after preparing it. Don’t let it sit around for too long after preparation.

Did you like this recipe? Do tell me, in your comments!

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This recipe is for the Foodie Monday Blog Hop group that I am part of. Every Monday, a bunch of us food bloggers present recipes for a pre-determined theme.

The theme this Monday is #SummerFruitFest, wherein all of us are cooking dishes using summer-special fruits. The theme was suggested by Swati, who blogs at Food Trails.

I’m sharing this post with Fiesta Friday #274. The co-hosts this week are Antonia @ Zoale.com and Liz @ Spades, Spatulas & Spoons.