Author Notes: I had this revelatory spiced watermelon tomato salad at a dinner hosted by Kitchensurfing, a marketplace for chefs that gives people access to great restaurant cooks and chefs for private events. One of their chefs, Surbhi Sahni, cooked a stunning Indian dinner that evening, and she served the salad as an intense, refreshing first course. 

Watermelon Tomato Salad with Cumin and Fennel

Serves 6

• 6cups cubed (1/2-inch cubes) watermelon
• 2heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1teaspoon sugar
• Salt
• 1/4cup sliced mint
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 1teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1inch ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/4teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4teaspoon chile powder
• Juice of 1 lemon

1. Puree 2 cups of the watermelon in a blender and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the remaining watermelon and tomato and toss with the sugar, a large pinch of salt, the mint, and lime juice.
2. Set a large saute pan over medium heat and add enough oil to thinly coat the base of the pan. When the oil is hot, sprinkle in the cumin, fennel, and ginger, and toast for 30 seconds. Add the turmeric and chile powder, then 1/2 cup watermelon juice, and the lemon juice. Bring to a simmer. Add salt or sugar as desired, and cook for 1 minute.
3. Pour the sauce over the watermelon and tomatoes and gently fold together. Divide among 6 shallow bowls, and serve.

https://food52.com/recipes/23671-watermelon-tomato-salad-with-cumin-and-fennel