Salad of chopped cucumbers and watermelon

Ingredients:

• 2 firm cucumbers (about 800 g total)
• 3 tbsp. neutral vegetable oil
• 1 large shallot, thinly sliced ​​(about 1/2 cup chopped)
• Zest of 2 limes and 3 tbsp. l. lime juice
• 1 tbsp. Chinese black vinegar
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 1.5 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 red Thai chili or any other small red chili, minced (see Note)
• Half a small seedless watermelon, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes (about 700g or 3 cups)
• 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves, coarsely chopped, plus extra for serving
• 0.5 cup fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped, plus extra for serving

Preparation:

1. Peel the cucumbers partially, cut into strips, and cut in half lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Pound the cucumbers with the flat side of a large knife (or a rolling pin) to force them to separate naturally. Split them along the split. Slice the cucumbers diagonally into 2-cm pieces. In a medium bowl, toss the cucumbers with 2 teaspoons of salt. Let them sit at room temperature until some of the liquid has released, about 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, heat neutral oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat and add the shallots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are mostly browned, about 6 minutes. Set aside to cool for about 20 minutes (the shallots will continue to brown).
3. Once the onions have cooled, add the following ingredients in this order: lime zest, Chinese black vinegar, ginger, soy sauce, sugar, 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, red chili pepper, and lime juice and stir until the sugar dissolves; set aside.
4. Drain the cucumbers and pat them dry with paper towels. Toss the cucumbers, watermelon, cilantro, and mint with the lime-soy dressing and transfer to a plate. Sprinkle with the remaining toasted sesame seeds, cilantro, and mint.
   
   Note
   
   Despite its small size, red Thai chilies are quite hot, so to tone it down a bit, cut the pod in half, remove the seeds, and chop it finely. You can use any other hot chili you prefer.