Thai Grilled Watermelon Salad is made with delicious Seared Watermelon and cucumbers on the grill drizzled with a simple Thai dressing.
Grilling Watermelon?
Yes you heard that right, I grilled Watermelon and cucumbers on the BBQ. Hey don't knock it until you tried it. I promise you, I will make you a converter. The grilling process makes the watermelon and cucumbers like little crisp sponges ready to absorb all of the delicious flavors and the dressing.
Why you are going to love our Thai Grilled Watermelon Salad
You are just going to love this recipe as it like explosion of flavors going on in your mouth. The sweetness of the watermelon is intensified by the grilling process. The cucumbers are crisp and chargrilled. The little extra crunch from the radishes and red onions make for a fun salad. The dressing is super simple just a little fish sauce, fresh lime juice, mint, Thai basil and of course some chilis.
Thai Grilled Watermelon Salad is happily vegan, low fat, cardiac friendly, lactose free, gluten free (if you use gluten free fish sauce or just use salt instead) and diabetic friendly if you increase the amount of cucumbers to watermelon slices in your salad).
Thai Cuisine Flavors
Thai cuisine is all about balance in sweet, salty, sour and spicy. The sweet in the Thai Grilled Watermelon Salad comes naturally from the super sweet in season watermelon, The salty comes from the fish sauce, but if you do not have this ingredient or if you are going gluten free, just adjust your seasoning with salt and pepper. The sour comes from the fresh limes and the spicy and heat comes from the chilis.
Why you should not eat cold foods
Do you remember my Spiced Yam and Vegetable Stir Fry? We talked about how eating really cold and icy foods and drinks is really hard on your body. You should try to eat foods that are closer to your body temperature to avoid health issues according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
If your body is more of the cold constitution, your body has to exert loads of energy to bring the body temperature to the correct temperature so it can digest the foods. If of cold constitution, it is hard to digest foods; they sit it the gut a longer period of time so you have stomach issues, etc.
If your body is of a warm constitution your body can easily bring the temperature up to the correct temperature to digest the food but the problem is that it cannot bring the temperature back down and you have other issues like an overactive stomach, always hungry, dry mouth.
Feed Your Spleen: Nourish Your Body Post explains the reason why eating cold foods is a shock to your body. If your body has to work extra hard to heat up the foods to extract the nutrients from your body and you are already in a compromised state, this is why people do not feel well.
Traditional Chinese Medicine and Foods
Not to overwhelm you with TCM, however it is also believed that each food we consume has a cold (yin), warm (yang) or neutral attribute. The goal in TCM is to balance the body and you should not eat too many cold foods or too many warm attribute foods. If you do have cold foods then it is good to mix with a few warm foods or spices so that it creates balance. The Temperature of foods in not the only thing that is assessed. Be sure to read our post on Introducing the Five Energies of Food to learn what foods are cooler, warmer and neutral.
The grilling process brings this dish to a more comfortable room temperature dish which really brings out the flavors of the dish and really is better for your health. According to TCM both cucumbers, mint and watermelon fall into the cold food category but combining with a little red chili, sweet basil and red onion are warming, so this helps balance the dish. In our post, Love Your Liver; Self Care and Meal Plan, you can learn more about how watermelon and cucumbers are cooling for your liver and can help liver qi stagnation or liver fire, if you hold the Thai Chilis. In addition, this recipe grills the watermelon and cucumber and is served at room temperature, not cold. By all means however, you can serve this salad cold. Even if you do not want to grill the watermelon or cucumber this is still a beautiful salad just as it is.
More Delicious Salad Recipes
Layered High Sesame Asian Salad
Sautéed Greens Breakfast Salad
Best Warm Vegan Swiss Chard Lentil Salad
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Thai Grilled Watermelon Salad
Ingredients
Thai Salad Dressing
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp fish sauce (if you do not have just add a little bit of salt to balance the dish)
- 1-2 chili peppers
chopped (as desired to you heat liking)
Salad Fixings
- 2.5 pounds watermelon
or about 6 slices or 4 cups (horizontally slice watermelon and leave on the rind) - 2 cucumber
small (deseeded, cut into lengthwise quarters -leave the skin on) - 1 onion small red onion sliced (or can use green onion chopped if you like)
- 5-6 radishes sliced thinly
- ⅛ cup mint leaves
chopped - ⅛ cup Thai basil (chopped)- if you cannot find Thai Basil just exchange with regular sweet Italian basil and just as delicious
Instructions
- Step 1: Make the Thai Dressing: Mix lime juice, fish sauce and chili peppers together and set aside.
- Grill Watermelon and cucumber slices on the grill for just about 2-3 minutes on each side just to get a slight grill marks. Remove the rinds and white portion of the watermelon. slice in long lengthwise slices to match the length of the cucumbers. Cut the cucumbers in half to be about the same size as the watermelon slices. (I like my food symmetrical as it makes it easier to eat)
- Combine the sliced watermelon, cucumbers, radishes and onions into a bowl. Drizzle on the Thai dressing and add mint and Thai basil and toss gently.
- Serve your Thai Grilled Watermelon Salad at room temperature or cold to your liking.
No - I have never grilled watermelon or cucumber either or nodded towards Thailand preparing such a fabulous salad ! This one will be served soonest . . . tho' may have to wait until my Thai basil pots realize spring is about to burst !! This one IS a beauty ! And I am smiling about food lovers around the world . . . have just been talking to Nagi Maehashi of 'recipetineats', a dear friend from the Northern Beaches of Sydney . . .I was not around when she last had time to visit people . . .
Hi there Eha! Grilling watermelon and cucumber really makes the flavors pop. Try it, you will not believe how good it is. Love Nagi and sad to see her travel series was stunted due to the epidemic but I am sure she will be able to get back to it soon. Take Care
What a gorgeous and tasty looking salad! Sounds so refreshing!
What a fun idea and I bet you have an explosion of contradictory tastes in your mouth when you taste this salad! Pinned and shared!
I love thai food for EXACTLY the reasons you describe.. perfect combo of sweet, salty, sour, spicy.. So much yum! I don't think I've ever tried grill watermelon either.. great idea! Also great photos as per usual 😉 I wanna know when you're switching over to raw! (Also- Pinning!!!)
I've never heard of grilling watermelon and cucumber! What a creative idea! This salad is fabulous! I make a watermelon and mint salad but it's nothing like this. I've got to give this a try!
How did you know that's what I said..."grilled watermelon?" But you're right, who am I to knock something until I can try it & I see no reason to not.
This is awesome Bobbi!! 😀 I LOVE cold salads during Summer too and I have NEVER grilled watermelon... that is such a great idea! I am definitely trying it out! I just juiced my watermelon, so I'll have to go and get more 🙂
I would have never thought about grilling watermelon even though I have grilled other fruits. What a great recipe and we appreciate you linking up to #SaucySaturdays! Hope to see you next week!
I will never EVER think about grilling watermelon! Wow, this is such a new concept and I love it! And these cucumber sounds absolutely delicious in the Thai sauce. Sharing of course! 🙂
That looks amazing! What a wonderful idea.
Yum! Why not, right? We grill pineapple and peaches, why not watermelon. It's amazing how grilling brings out the sweetness in fruit!
Why not give it a try and it was so delicious the grilling process brings out the natural sugars in the watermelon. I think now I have some many other ideas what about grilled papaya or star fruit? I guess the ideas are endless. Wishing you a super Monday!
I loved reading about Traditional Chinese Medicine for diets. And grilling watermelon? genius. I HAVE to try this asap.
If you have a grill or at least a grill pan, then you are good to go as you are going to love how deliciously sweet watermelon gets when grilled. TCM is very interesting and has been around for decades keeping people healthy. Prevention is so much easier and cost effective compared to intervention when you are sick. Wishing you a very happy Monday, Down Under...
That really does look delicious - I love grilled watermelon!
Thank you very much Amanda, wishing you a super week!
It would never have occurred to me to grill watermelon, Bobbi! This all sounds wonderful.I will add though that watermelon, although full of 'good' fruit sugar is on my carbohydrate 'high' list. I can't eat all of it that I'd like, (which is a LOT!)
Hiya Tonette! so nice to hear from you. Yes if you are looking to decrease carbs or on a diabetic friendly diet, you will need to reduce the watermelon in this recipe by over half and just fill up more on the delicious cucumbers instead. Berries do not grill well, so will be on my lookout for low glycemic fruits to grill. Wishing you a super week!
This really does sound like the most balanced summer meal! You come up with so many wonderfully creative recipes! What a brilliant combination of flavours you've combined here - and the idea of cooking the melon really intrigues me! 🙂
Thanks so much Helen for your very sweet comment. I really love experimenting in the kitchen and my boys really love eating so you see what a great synergistic relationship we have going on... LOL Take Care
Lucky for me I just bought myself a watermelon yesterday 😀 This looks so great, Bam! 🙂
Thank you Kristy! Watermelon has so many potential delicious options this summer and a whole one gives you lots of opportunities to try out many different recipes.
Wonderful! looks amazing, and I would just like to reach in with my fork and take a bite! Some of my favorite combinations in this salad.
Thank you Tina! I am so delighted you like this salad. Wishing you a super weekend!