Watermelon salad, rosewater and cinnamon labneh

A pretty, fragrant salad that makes a perfectly light and refreshing dessert in hot weather.

Credit: Adam Liaw

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  5 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 200 g caster sugar
• 2 tsp rosewater
• 50 ml arak
• 1 strip lemon zest
• squeeze of lemon juice
• 200 g labneh
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp icing sugar mixture
• ¼ large seedless watermelon, cut into 2 cm cubes
• 40 g pine nuts, toasted
• ½ bunch mint, leaves picked

Chilling time: 30 minutes

Instructions

1. Place the sugar, rosewater, arak, lemon zest, lemon juice and 150 ml water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Allow the mixture to boil for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and allow to cool completely before using. 
2. Place the labneh, cinnamon and icing sugar in a bowl and whisk until well combined. 
3. Place the watermelon, pine nuts and half the mint leaves in a bowl. Stir in 100 ml of the cold rosewater syrup and place into a serving bowl. Spoon over a couple of dollops of the cinnamon labneh and garnish with the remaining mint leaves. 

 

Photography by Adam Liaw.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.