Thai Watermelon Soup

Ingredients

• 900 g watermelon (1 piece)
• 50 g ginger (1 piece)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 shallots
• 1 stalk lemongrass
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 Green Chili Pepper
• 1 Lime
• Salt
• Pepper
• 3 spring onions
• 200 g crab meat
• 3 stems cilantro
• 1 tsp Sesame oil

Instructions

1. 1.

   Cut the watermelon in half and peel it. Dice the fruit into large cubes, remove the seeds, and puree the flesh with a stick blender.

2. 2.

   Peel and finely chop the ginger, garlic, and shallots.

3. 3.

   Clean the lemongrass, removing outer leaf layers; finely chop the soft lower third.

4. 4.

   Heat oil in a pot, then sauté the shallot, ginger, garlic, and lemongrass for 4‑5 minutes over medium heat. Add the whole chili pepper.

5. 5.

   Add one‑third of the watermelon puree to the pot, bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 minutes on medium heat.

6. 6.

   Squeeze the lime. Puree the soup again, then stir in the remaining watermelon puree. Season with lime juice, salt, and pepper.

7. 7.

   Strain the soup through a fine sieve, pressing it with the back of a ladle. Chill for at least 3 hours.

8. 8.

   Just before serving, wash and finely dice the spring onions. Separate crab meat from shells and mix with the scallions.

9. 9.

   Wash cilantro, shake dry, pluck leaves, chop, and add to the crab mixture. Mix in sesame oil and season with salt, pepper, and a touch of lime juice. Serve the crab in small bowls alongside the chilled soup.