Fresh, zesty, and just a little cheeky — the perfect balance of sweet heat and citrus pop.
What you need
(for about 12 oysters)
- 1 cup fresh watermelon, finely diced (or blitzed and strained for juice)
- 1 small red chilli, finely minced (adjust to taste)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp yuzu juice (or a mix of yuzu + lime if yuzu is strong)
- 1 tsp Megachef seasoned fish sauce (optional, but adds incredible depth)
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 1 tsp finely grated ginger
- Pinch of sea salt
- Fresh coriander or micro herbs, to garnish
How you'll do it
1. Blitz watermelon in a blender and strain through a fine sieve to collect about ½ cup of juice.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together watermelon juice, yuzu juice, rice vinegar, fish sauce (if using), sugar, ginger, and salt.
3. Stir in the finely chopped chilli. Taste and adjust — add more chilli for spice, more sugar for sweetness, or more yuzu for a citrus punch.
4. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavours to mingle and the dressing to cool.
5. Spoon a little dressing over freshly shucked oysters, garnish with a sliver of chilli or a tiny sprig of coriander, and serve immediately.
Switch it up and make it your own
- Add a few drops of roasted sesame oil for an umami twist.
- This dressing works beautifully as a ceviche-style dressing for scallops or prawns too.
- Make it in bulk and freeze – simply scrape the frozen dressing to make watermelon granita for the oysters!
