Salsa is such a versatile side dish. It is ideal for healthy snacking with tortilla chips or as part of a meal, such as on a taco. Some salsa like this one, which is "dry", can even be enjoyed like a salad on its own. Fundamentally a salsa is made from onions, tomatoes and chillies, which can be a canvas for some creative additions. The version I present here is a simple salsa recipe containing watermelon and jalapeno peppers. Watermelon makes it refreshing, and jalapeno gives it a kick of flavour. If you would like something a little more spicy but still refreshing, then try my pico de Gallo-inspired watermelon and cucumber salsa. And for something completely different, head over to my salsa verde made with wild, foraged greens.
Ingredients
- Watermelon
- Red onion
- Garlic
- Salt
- Lime zest and juice
- Fresh coriander
- Jalapeno peppers, pickled
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Remove the skin and rind from the watermelon and cut it into small dice. Don't throw away the watermelon rind. Use it to make tarbooz ki sabzi
Finely chop the garlic, red onion, jalapenos peppers, coriander stem and leaves.
Zest and juice one lime.
In a bowl, add the watermelon, jalapeno, red onion and garlic.
Add the salt and lime juice and mix well.
Add chopped coriander stems and leaves and mix well.
Serve immediately with tortilla chips or as desired
Substitutions
If you don't have pickled jalapenos, you can use fresh ones or serrano peppers in this simple salsa recipe.
Storage
This dip does not keep well. The watermelon releases water, and the salsa becomes soggy. You can, however, prepare all the ingredients and store them separately in an airtight container in the fridge a day or two in advance. The watermelon will release its juice, drain the juice and drink it!
📖 Recipe
Watermelon Salsa Recipe
Equipment
- Digital scales
Ingredients
- 780 gm Watermelon After removing skin 350 gms
- 8 gms Garlic
- 40 gms Red onion
- 25 gms Jalapeno
- 1 nos Zest and juice of one lime
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 25 gms Fresh Coriander
Instructions
- Remove the skin and rind from the watermelon and cut into small dice.
- Finely chop the garlic, red onion, pickled jalapenos, coriander stems and leaves.
- Zest and juice one lime.
- In a bowl add the diced watermelon, jalapeno, red onion and garlic.
- Add the salt and lime zest and juice and mix well.
- Add the chopped coriander stems and leaves and mix well.
- Serve immediately with tortilla chips or as desired.
Nutrition
Food Safety
In a professional kitchen, food hygiene and safety are a top priority, and from the beginning of training, I practised good habits and routines. Of course, practising good food hygiene and safety at home is also very important. Here are some fundamental practices to adopt in the kitchen.
- Wash your hands regularly while preparing, handling and cooking food
- Wipe down countertops and high contact points regularly
- If you cook meat and fish, do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat. Use separate chopping boards for meat and fish. Wash your chopping boards immediately after use.
- Thoroughly cook food to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods (more than 2 hours)
- Store food correctly
For more details on food hygiene and safety in the home, visit the UK Government's Food Standards Agency webpage.
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