Serve these bunless burgers with a cool rice noodle salad and ginger-tinged melon.
This quick, light menu for four is full of bright, spicy, and cooling flavors—perfect for casual summer entertaining.
Menu Timeline
At least 1 hour or up to 4 hours ahead:
- Make the ginger syrup.
- Shape the tuna burgers.
- Make the burger dipping sauce.
- Make the dressing for noodle salad.
Forty minutes before dinner:
- Cook the rice noodles and let them drain.
- Chop the herbs and vegetables for the noodle salad.
Twenty minutes before dinner:
- Cut the melon into cubes.
- Assemble the rice noodle salad.
- Cook the tuna burgers.
After dinner:
- Toss the melon cubes with ginger syrup and mint just before serving.
Shopping List
Fresh Produce
- 5-8 lb. assorted melons, such as seedless watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, Persian, or casaba
- 1 small head romaine lettuce
- 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
- 1 large or 2 medium cucumbers
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 small red onion or 2 scallions
- 1 large bunch fresh cilantro
- 1 large bunch fresh mint
- 3 limes
- 2 fresh jalapeno or 3 serrano or Thai bird chiles
- 1 bulb garlic
- 6-inch-long piece fresh ginger (1 inch wide)
Meat, Fish & Eggs
- 1 lb. fresh sushi-grade tuna fillet
Other Groceries
- 6 oz. dried rice noodles (medium-width)
- 1/4 cup dry-roasted peanuts
- 1/4 cup fish sauce
Pantry Staples
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 Tbs. rice vinegar
- 2 Tbs. mayonnaise
- 2 Tbs. canola oil
- Kosher salt
- Black peppercorns
