picture from Freepik
by Chef Nancy Berkoff, RD
Watermelon isn’t only a juicy warm-weather deal with. This fruit incorporates potassium and nutritional vitamins A and C. People have been feasting on watermelon for hundreds of years. Though native to Africa, watermelons have been recognized in India since prehistoric occasions. The primary recorded watermelon harvest happened 5,000 years in the past in Egypt. Photos of the fruit had been present in work on the partitions of historic buildings.
We by no means get a lot past slicing watermelon and providing it as a terrific accompaniment to summer season meals. Watermelon is a “whole utilization” fruit, although. You should utilize the inside, the juice, the seeds, and the rind! It’s good with candy (cereal, vegan yogurt, baked items) or savory (grilled veggie canine or burgers, pasta salad) meals.
If you wish to get melon-creative, minimize watermelon into stick shapes and freeze in plastic luggage — you’ll have your personal watermelon-sicles which will be eaten as a snack or tossed into the blender with different smoothie substances. (Watermelon daiquiris, anybody?). Or fill a scooped-out watermelon with candy wine, port, lemonade, or chilly ginger tea, then permit to marinate and function an appetizer or dessert.
Frozen Candy Treats
“Helados” (ice cream) are a very fashionable ending to Latin meals; add watermelon to sorbet or frozen vegan ice cream to create your personal helado. If easy desserts be just right for you, thinly slice watermelon, sprinkle with rose- or orange-blossom water, and serve chilled. Mango chunks or slices will be alternated with sliced watermelon for a colourful dessert. If contemporary mango will not be accessible, frozen mango will work.
To go savory along with your watermelon, you should utilize watermelon cubes to “tame the warmth” in curries and chilies, in veggie salad with onions and garlic, and in stir-fries or sautés (add small watermelon cubes on the final minute), or use as a garnish. Strive a “watermelon steak” (a thick slice of watermelon, rind eliminated) topped with slices of ripe avocado and shredded jicama, chopped parsley, and a squeeze of contemporary lime juice. If you need to get adventurous, do some net searches for a watermelon curry recipe, in style in Caribbean and South Asian delicacies.
When slicing watermelon, make certain to seize the juice to make use of in salads, smoothies, or different chilly drinks. You probably have additional watermelon, mix it to create watermelon juice, refreshing by itself or when mixed with different fruit or veggie juices (carrot, cucumber, spinach, and many others.).
Roasted Seeds
In case your watermelon comes with seeds, save them! Use solely the mature, black seeds, and discard the small, white seeds. Accumulate the seeds, place them in a colander or strainer, and rinse very effectively, till they’re squeaky clear. Unfold the cleaned seeds on a baking sheet and permit to dry in a sunny space, or in a low oven. You possibly can skip this step and pat the seeds dry, however very dry seeds roast finest.
Preheat a big frying pan and add seeds, stirring and turning till they’re roasted. Style one to see if the specified texture has been reached. When seeds are roasted, combine collectively a small quantity of salt with water, pour over the seeds, and permit the water to dissolve whereas stirring. Retailer in an air-tight container.
Pickled watermelon rind takes a little bit of time to arrange, however is absolutely well worth the effort! The Watermelon Council, www.watermelon.org, has step-by-step directions. Pickled watermelon rind is a flexible condiment, so tasty that it’s exhausting to chorus from simply consuming it proper out of the jar!
