Watermelon & strawberry salad with sticky sriracha sausages

Put the oil and sausages into a large frying pan over a medium heat. Roll the sausages in the fat until glossy, then leave to gently sizzle while you prepare the salad. Shuffle the pan occasionally until the sausages are evenly browned and shiny (around 15 minutes), and cooked through with no pink meat and juices that run clear.

If cooking rice from scratch, do it now, according to pack instructions. If using a quickcook sachet, heat it when the sausages and salad are ready to serve.

Using a large, sharp knife, cut the rind from the watermelon. Cut the flesh into 1-2cm cubes and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Halve the cucumber lengthways. Using the tip of a teaspoon, scoop out and discard the seeds. Cut each piece in ½ lengthways again, then into 1-2cm pieces. Add to the watermelon with the salt. Gently toss and set aside.

Hull and slice the strawberries to match the watermelon and cucumber, then finely shred the mint. Set aside with the Thai basil.

Mince the ginger using a fine grater, then combine in a separate mixing bowl with the sugar, fish sauce, lime zest and juice and 2 tsp sriracha. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the watermelon and cucumber to this bowl, leaving the liquid that has leached from them (don’t discard it). Add the strawberries and herbs, then mix gently and thoroughly.

When ready, leave the sausages in the pan and deglaze it with 2 tbsp liquid from the watermelon and cucumber bowl. Turn off the heat, add the remaining sriracha and 1-2 tbsp more watermelon liquid (or water, if you’ve used it all), then shake to create a sticky-sweet glaze. Slice the sausages, if liked, and serve with the rice and a mound of salad alongside.