1

In a small saucepan, combine water, sugar and basil; bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 1 minute, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes more; remove from heat and let cool.

2

Meanwhile, cut melon into slices; remove seeds and rind. Cube melon flesh; place in a food processor and chop melon into a pulp.

3

Combine cooled basil syrup, melon pulp and lime juice in a medium bowl. Freeze using one of these methods:

4

Machine method—Run mixture through an ice cream maker as per manufacturer’s instructions. Serve immediately or put in freezer for future use. If frozen, soften in refrigerator for about 10-20 minutes before serving.

5

Freezer tray method—Pour mixture into a shallow metal pan and freeze halfway through, about 20-30 minutes. Rake a fork or spoon through partially frozen mixture so it does not freeze into a solid block; return pan to freezer and let freeze. Before serving, run sorbet through a food processor or blender to obtain desired texture.