Burmese Melon Salad (Gin Thoke)

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About:

Gin Thoke is a refreshing, gingery, crunchy and wonderfully flavored Burmese traditional melon salad.

Total Time:

43 min

Prep Time:

15 min

Cook Time:

28 min

Ingredients:

½ small seedless watermelon (2 ½ pounds)

½ ripe cantaloupe melon (1 ½ pounds)

¼ ripe honeydew melon (1 pound)

2 (3-inch) pieces fresh ginger, peeled & minced (1/3 cup)

¼ cup sesame seeds, toasted

¼ cup lime juice

¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp plus 1 tsp sugar

1 ¾ tsp salt

1 cup dried green lentils

2 cups wide-flake unsweetened coconut

1 ¼ cups blanched raw peanuts

4 fresh kaffir lime leaves, chopped

Directions:

Peel and remove the seeds from the melons. Dice the melon flesh into ½ -inch cubes and place in a large bowl.

Mix the minced ginger, sesame seeds, lime juice, soy sauce, ¼ cup olive oil, 2 tablespoon sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Pour the mixture over the diced melons and toss well to combine. Set aside and let marinate at room temperature until later.

Place the lentils with 4 cups water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat in about 5 minutes. Lower heat, add 1 teaspoon salt and simmer for about 20 minutes until lentils are tender but not mushy.

Remove lentils from heat, drain and rinse with cold water. Combine the drained lentils with the cubed melons.

Put the coconut flakes, peanuts, kaffir lime, 1 teaspoon sugar, ¼ olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large pan and toast over medium-low heat stirring constantly. Toast for about 3-4 minutes until peanuts and coconut become golden brown. Remove mixture from pan and let cool.

Before serving, gently stir in the coconut peanut mixture with the melon mixture. Serve at room temperature.

Tags:

salads