Easiest ever fruit salad prep

Points to remember:

• Grapes: To quickly halve grapes, spread them out on a chopping board and put a plate on top. Press the plate down firmly with one hand (to keep the grapes still, not crush them) and with a knife in the other hand, carefully slice across horizontally. Lift off the plate to reveal the grapes halved.
• Mango: Cut one side off the fruit. You’ll feel the resistance on your knife from the large flat stone in the middle – follow that as your guide. Then repeat on the other side, then the remaining edges. With the large pieces, score a criss-cross pattern into the flesh with the tip of your knife then turn it inside-out to release the pieces. With the smaller sections, cut regular notches into the flesh, then fold the skin backwards to push the pieces out and make them easier to pull or cut away.
• Melon: Slice a melon in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and membrane. Cut the melon into wedges, then cut regular notches into each wedge – stopping short of the skin. Then carefully slide your knife between the flesh and the skin, from one corner of each wedge to the other, releasing the individual pieces. Hold on to the skin when you do this, keeping your fingers well away or behind the knife blade, as it can be slippery.
• Kiwi: Chop the top and base off the kiwi fruit. Then, take a large teaspoon or dessertspoon and push it upside down into the kiwi at one end – just below the skin. Push it all the way up or down, through from one cut end to the other. Then, making sure the curve of the spoon follows the curve of the kiwi, push the spoon all the way around the fruit so that it can be lifted out of the skin in one piece. Discard the skin, then slice or chop as you prefer.

We served all these fruits together with a spritz of fresh lime juice and 25ml of coconut rum.

Looking for more fabulously fruity salads? Check out these easy recipes:

Tropical fruits in lemongrass syrup
Raspberry & mango salad
Grapefruit, agave & pistachio salad
Orange & mint salad
Grapefruit, orange & apricot salad