Ingredients

2-3 cups filtered water
2 teaspoons dried mint
a pinch of powdered cloves (or 1-2 whole cloves)
a pinch of powdered star anise (or 1 whole star anise)
200 g whole grain cous cous (I used whole spelt cous cous)
Himalayan salt, just enought o taste
2 tablespoons raw sesame oil
2-3 handfuls of raisins, soaked in filtered water for 10 minutes then drained and pat dried
3-4 chopped medjol dates, stones removed
2 handfuls of pistachios, peeled
2 handfuls of almonds, peeled
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
a pinch of chilli powder
seeds from 1 pomegranate
fresh mint leaves, to taste

Makes 2 servings.

Directions

First, make the spicy mint tea. Bring the water to a boil, add the mint, cloves and star anise, stir, remove from the heat and let everything infuse for about 1 minute. Filter and set aside.

Place the cous cous in a salad bowl (preferably large and low) and pour some of the mint tea over it (just enough to cover the cous cous). Cover with a lid and let the cous cous ‘cook’ for 1 to 2 minutes. Check doneness and add some more tea (which should be still very hot) if necessary, pouring it little by little. When the cous cous is ready (it should be al dente) fluff with a fork, add the salt and sesame oil and toss. Add the raisins, dates, pistachios, almonds, cinnamon, chilli and pomegranate seeds and toss again. Sprinkle with some fresh mint leaves. Serve at room temperature.

Five ingredients is all you need for this amazingly refreshing watermelon granita. Plus, if you have an ice-cream maker or ice cube grinder, it takes practically no time to make. While usually granita is made with the fruit juice, for this one I also used the pulp. I’ve tried all the methods that I’m listing here, and all of them make an excellent granita. The one you see pictured in this post was made following method no. 2 (I really like the irregular texture of it, with frozen fleshy bits). Whatever method you choose it’s best to enjoy your granita as soon as it’s ready, just don’t let it sit in the freezer for days.

Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients

4 cups watermelon pulp (seeds removed), cut into chunks

3 tablespoons rice malt syrup

the juice of 2 lemons

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

½ teaspoon ground star anise

Place all ingredients in a blender and process for 30-40 seconds until combined (for this granita, I like the fruit base to be chunky rather than completely smooth). Discard any seeds.

Method no. 1- Without an ice cream maker.

Pour mixture onto a plastic or metal bowl and place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes, or until ice begins to form. Use a spoon to stir the mixture and put it back in the freezer for another 30 minutes. Repeat this process for 4 to 5 times, until frozen (be careful it does not turn into a big chunk of ice). Transfer the granita into chilled tumblers or glasses and serve.

Method no. 2- With an ice cream maker.

Pour mixture onto a bowl and chill thoroughly in the refrigerator. Process in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions (30 minutes should be enough to obtain a granita texture). Transfer the granita into chlled tumblers or glasses and serve.

Method no. 3- With an ice cube grinder.

If you’re too lazy to stir the mixture now and then (as indicated in method 1), if you don’t have an ice cream maker, or if you already know that you’ll want to save some granita for later consumption, you might as well freeze the watermelon mixture completely using your regular ice cube tray. Once you’ve got the frozen cubes, grind them with the ice grinder appliance of a blender (or other ice cube grinder). Using this method will make your granita more grainier and smoother (like granitas usually are), as watermelon pieces will be processed for the second time. Transfer the granita into chlled tumblers or glasses and serve.