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BBQ Watermelon Sashimi - The Secrets of Fine Dining

Difficulty
Challenging
Total Time
50H 38MIN

Ingredients

Watermelon: 200g

Lime: 1/2

Syrup: 1 tsp

Watermelon: 200g

Dark miso: 1 tbsp

Sake: 30 g

Mirin: 10 g

Soy sauce: 30 g

Watermelon: 1

Kosher salt: 200 g

Smoked paprika: 1 tbsp

Onion powder: 2 tbsp

Ginger powder: 1 tbsp

Chili flakes: 1 tbsp

White wine vinegar: 60 g

Vegetable stock: 125 g

Agave syrup: 30 g

Brown sugar: 25 g

Onion powder: 20 g

Garlic: 1 clove

Smoked paprika: 5 g

Dijon mustard: 20 g

Whisky: 30 g

Fancy molasses: 15 g

Chili flakes: ½ tsp

Miso paste: 20 g

Liquid smoke: 1 tsp

Black pepper: to taste

Learn how to make a 'watermelon otsukuri', step by step, with professional chef, culinary instructor and food content creator, Natalia Rudakova.

Rudakova is the host of Fine Dining Lovers' 'The Secrets of Fine Dining' series bringing you incredible tips and tricks, straight from the chef’s kitchen, to level up your fine-dining cooking techniques and plating skills. 

Prepare to be amazed as she highlights some incredible, yet simple, molecular gastronomy and fine-dining techniques, which you can re-create at home.

Method

01.
How to Make the Watermelon Sorbet

Cut the watermelon into rough cubes, remove the seeds, and freeze overnight.

Watermelon_Step one
02.

Place the frozen watermelon cubes into a food processor, add in lime juice and syrup and crush to even consistency.

Watermelon_step two
03.

Keep in the freezer until assembly.

Watermelon_step three
04.
To Make the Miso Glazed Watermelon

Cut watermelon in 3.5cm pieces, 1cm thickness. Remove the seeds (if any).

Watermelon_step one
05.

Blend together all the glazing ingredients, bring to boil and cool down completely over an ice-bath.

Watermelon_step two
06.

Place the watermelon pieces in a shallow container, pour the glaze over, making sure it’s evenly coated on all sides.

Watermelon_step three
07.

Marinate the watermelon in the fridge for at least 30 min.

Watermelon_step four
08.

Wash the extra glaze off, before the assembly.

Watermelon_step five
09.
How to Make the Cured & BBQed Watermelon

Cut the rind off the whole watermelon. You can keep it to make a watermelon pickle for the garnish (optional).

Watermelon_Step one
10.

Mix together the dry cure mixture: Kosher salt, smoked paprika, onion powder, ginger powder and chilli flakes.

Watermelon_Step four
11.

Cover the watermelon with a curing mixture all over, wrap in a plastic wrap and cure in the fridge for 1-2 days.

Watermelon_Step three
12.

Remove a significantly dehydrated watermelon out of the fridge and wash off all the extra curing mixture.

Watermelon_step four
13.

Blend together the BBQ mix (all the rest of the ingredients), bring to boil and simmer until it reduced half in size and thickens.

Watermelon Step five
14.

Meanwhile preheat the oven to 260C. 

Place the watermelon on a rack, cover it with the BBQ mix and broil in the oven for about 20 min, turning it and covering with more BBQ mix half way through.

Watermelon_step seven
15.

Let the watermelon completely cool down and refrigerate, then slice the watermelon thinly and shape in the form of roses.

Watermelon Step Nine
16.
To Assemble the Watermelon Otsukuri

Arrange all the pc of different kinds of watermelon on a plate, creating height and a variety of textures and colours, with the help of garnishes of your choice.

Serve cold and enjoy.

Watermelon Step one

In this recipe, chef Natalia Rudakova teaches us how to cook vegan otsukuri using watermelon and a watermelon sorbet. Don’t be mistaken by its fishy looks, because this sashimi is completely plant-based.

Watch how it's done in the video below, and follow the step by step recipe to have a go at home.

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