Nothing says summer in Australia quite like a prawn salad. This one combines some beautifully contrasting flavours, the sweet, meaty flesh of the prawns playing off against the juiciness of the watermelon and the unique umami of the haloumi. By the time you add in the mint and lime, you have a flavour explosion like no other!
This summery prawn salad is super quick and easy to throw together, with the entire dish on the table in under 30 minutes. The prawns, watermelon and haloumi are all cooked quickly on the same chargrill pan or plate, minimising the time you need to spend hovering over a hot stove or oven on a summer day.
Ingredients
Method
Twist or cut behind the prawn head to remove it. Peel away the shell starting from legs, leaving the tail intact. To devein, make a small cut in the centre back of prawns. Insert a skewer or toothpick through the skin and under the vein, then lift; this will pull the vein out in one piece. Alternatively, run a small knife down the back of the prawn to expose the vein and pull it out that way. Place prawns in a medium bowl.
Finely grate rind from the limes; you need 1 teaspoon rind. Juice the limes; you will need 2 tablespoons juice. Add rind to prawns with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season; toss gently to combine.
Cut watermelon into 4 thick wedges 2.5cm wide. Slice three-quarters of the haloumi block into 1cm slices. Finely grate remaining haloumi; you should have ¼ cup. Set both aside separately.
Place lime juice in a small bowl; whisk in remaining ¼ cup oil. Season to taste.
Preheat a chargrill plate or pan over medium-high heat. Brush watermelon slices lightly with a little extra oil. Cook watermelon for 4 minutes on each side or until golden and grill marks appear. Remove from heat. Brush haloumi slices with a little extra oil; cook haloumi for 1 minute each side or until browned. Cook prawns for 2 minutes on each side or until cooked through.
Layer watermelon, grilled haloumi and prawns on a platter; top with grated haloumi and mint leaves. Serve drizzled with lime dressing.
You will need to buy approximately ¼ watermelon for the recipe.
Shell and devein the prawns up to a day ahead. Refrigerate in an airtight container until required.
Serve with slices of grilled bread brushed with olive oil.
Test Kitchen tip
