Watermelon recipes galore...

I love watermelons. Back where I came from, I can get them everywhere: be it in the fruit stalls, vegetable shops or supermarkets. The most common ones come with red flesh. But the yellow flesh ones can also be found once in a while. I have eaten red, pink and yellow flesh types and they all tasted wonderful. Recently, I read the news with amusement that the Japanese farmers grow "square watermelons" (it has been going on for a wee while) and sell them with exorbitant prices in the stores. Why didn't the farmers over here think of that? Anyway, here is a website that teaches you how to grow a square watermelon. I am going to grow some myself, sell it to the supermarket and then I would be rich!
/wahaha

When I came to NZ, I missed my favourite fruit terribly. Fortunately, all is not lost because I can get them during the summer. Whenever I pass by the growers market during the weekends in summertime, I would always buy one. Once I got home, I would slice it into half and eat it straight away because that is the best way of eating them. Munching the sweet and succulent flesh on a warm summer afternoon is a happy and exhilarating experience. :D

Today, after a busy morning grocery shopping session (I got my watermelon too :) ) , I decided to hunt around the Internet for watermelon recipes. I was surprised that there are many ways to cook the watermelon. To be honest, I have never tried most of them, so you can try them with your own risks. :p

OK, enough of my blabbering. Here are some of the recipes (Disclaimer: They are not mine):-


Masak Titik (Watermelon Soup)

Ingredients:-

• 4-5 white peppercorns, crushed lightly
• 4-5 bird's eye chillies, slit lengthwise
• ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 300 g watermelon skin
  

For Shrimp Stock:

• 200 g shrimp shells and heads
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 liter water

Pound coarsely together:

• 30 g (3) shallots, peeled
• 100 g shrimps
• 10 g lightly toasted belachan (prawn paste)

Method:-

1. To make shrimp stock, heat the oil in a heavy bottom pot to fry the shrimp shells and heads until aromatic, about 5-10 minutes.
2. Add water and allow it to boil for five minutes before lowering the heat to simmer stock for another 20 minutes.
3. Strain stock before using.
4. Cut away the outer green layer of the watermelon skin and any remaining flesh, leaving only the white part of the skin.
5. Cut watermelon skin into 3 cm cubes.
6. Bring the strained shrimp stock back to a boil and add the pounded ingredients and peppercorns.
7. Continue to boil until soup is aromatic, about 10-15 minutes.
8. Add in the watermelon skin and bird's eye chillies.
9. Season to taste with salt.
10. Allow to boil for a further 10 minutes before turning off the heat.
11. Serve hot with a fresh grating of pepper.

Fried Watermelon Fritters

Ingredients:-

• 1 (6 to 8 pounds) seedless watermelon
• 3 cups vegetable or canola oil for deep-frying
• 1/2 cup cornstarch (cornflour)
• 2 egg whites, beaten
• 2 teaspoons water
• 3/4 cup flour
• Powdered confectioners' sugar for garnish

Method:-

1. Cut watermelon in half lengthwise and then cut each half again lengthwise into 2. You should have 4 long triangular-shaped pieces.
2. Remove the rinds, cut into 1-inch thick slices, then cut the flesh into about 1-inch triangles.
3. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or wok to 350 F.
4. Whisk cornstarch with egg whites and water until combined.
5. Dredge watermelon chunks in the flour, then coat with the cornstarch batter. Deep-fry in batches, leaving room in between pieces to properly brown, until watermelon chunks are golden.
6. Remove from oil and drain well.
7. Sprinkle deep-fried watermelon with a dusting of powdered confectioners' sugar to serve.

Beet and Watermelon Soup

Ingredients:-

• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 medium sweet onion, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 pound beets, peeled and roughly diced
• 4 cups chicken broth (may use low-salt)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2-1/2 cups diced seeded watermelon (rind removed)
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves, optional

Method:-

1. In a large stockpot over medium low heat, gently sauté sweet onions in the vegetable oil, stirring often, until onions are limp and translucent.
2. Stir in beets, reduce heat to low, and cook until beets begin to fall apart, about 35 minutes. Be sure to stir often to avoid burning and sticking.
3. Add chicken broth and salt to the onions and beets. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain solids, reserving the liquid.
4. Place beet and onion solids to a blender or food processor.
5. Add watermelon and purée until smooth.
6. Return to the stockpot and stir in reserved liquid.
7. Refrigerate soup at least 4 hours or overnight before serving chilled.
8. Garnish with chopped mint leaves, if desired.

Watermelon Cake

Ingredients:-

• 1 (2-layer package) white cake mix
• 1 small package mixed fruit gelatin powder
• 1-1/3 cups seedless watermelon cut from the center and cubed into 1-inch blocks
• 3 egg whites
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 cup miniature chocolate chips, optional
  

Frosting:

• 1/4 cup watermelon juice
• 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 (3-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 to 3 drops red food coloring, optional
• 1/8 cup miniature chocolate chips, optional

Method:-

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a cake pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together cake mix and gelatin powder until combined. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat watermelon, egg whites, and vegetable oil until smooth.
4. Add dry ingredients, half at a time, and mix until well-blended.
5. Fold in chocolate chips, if using.
6. Pour into prepared pan and bake about 35 minutes until toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
7. Cool to room temperature before frosting.
8. For the frosting, blend watermelon juice, butter, powdered sugar, and cream cheese until combined and fluffy.
9. Add food colouring to achieve a rosy watermelon colour.
10. Frost cooled cake.
11. Place chocolate chips sporadically around the cake to simulate seeds.
12. Refrigerate to set frosting.
13. Remove from refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving.

Watermelon Chiffon Pie

Ingredients:-

• 2 Tablespoons unflavored gelatin
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 2 cups pureed seedless watermelon
• 1/2 cup powdered confectioners' sugar
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 egg whites, stiffly-beaten
• 1 cup whipping cream, whipped
• One 10-inch prepared graham cracker crust (or two 8-inch)
• Whipped cream to garnish

Method:-

1. Pour cold water into a large bowl and sprinkle with unflavoured gelatin.
2. Let sit for 5 minutes to soften.
3. Stir in boiling water until combined.
4. Add watermelon, confectioners' sugar, and lemon juice, stirring to combine. Let the mixture come to room temperature, then refrigerate until the mixture begins to thicken.
5. Fold stiff egg whites and whipped cream into the thickened watermelon gelatin until combined.
6. Smooth into prepared graham cracker crust and refrigerate pie until firm.
7. Garnish each serving with additional whipped topping.

Watermelon Muffin

Ingredients:-

• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 6 Tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup (about 1/8 medium seedless watermelon) watermelon juice with pulp (see Note)
• Red food colouring, optional
• 3/4 cup miniature chocolate chips
• Confectioners' sugar, optional

Method:-

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line standard or miniature muffin tins with baking paper cups.
2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and sugar in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, add cream butter and sugar.
4. Beat in eggs.
5. Add sour cream and watermelon, beating just until combined. (A few drops of red food colouring may be added to the batter to enhance the colour to simulate watermelon.) Fold in chocolate chips.
6. Fill muffin tins 3/4 full.
7. Bake 20 to 25 minutes for standard muffins or 15 to 18 minutes for mini-muffins. Place muffins on racks to cool.
8. Just before serving, sift with powdered confectioners' sugar, if you wish.

Note: Cut seedless watermelon into cubes and process in a food processor or heavy-duty blender until thick with small bits of pulp still remaining. You will need 1 cup of processed watermelon.


Watermelon Fruit Salad

Ingredients:-

• 2 small watermelons
• 1 can canned diced pineapple in juice, drain juice and reserve
• 1 lb seedless grapes
• 2 apples - peeled, cored and chopped
• 2 bananas, cut into bite-size pieces

Method:-

1. Cut each watermelon in half lengthwise.
2. Hollow out the insides using a melon baller, reserving rind for later use.
3. Drain pineapple, and discard juice.
4. Cut apples in half, remove cores, and cut into bite size pieces. Peel banana, and slice in to bite size pieces.
5. Rinse grapes under cold running water, and pat dry.
6. In a bowl, toss together the watermelon balls, pineapple, apple, banana chunks, and grapes.
7. Divide fruit salad among the 4 reserved watermelon "bowls," and serve.

Pickled Watermelon Rind

Summary:-
A firm 4-pound watermelon should yield enough rind for this recipe. The pickled rind, which can include green and white parts and a thin layer of pink, can be stored in a resealable container and refrigerated for 2 to 3 weeks. This recipe makes about 3 cups

Ingredients:-

For the rind:

• 2 1/2 pounds firm watermelon rind (tough outer peel removed), cut into 2-inch squares
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 cup salt
• Water
  

For the pickling liquid:

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 cups champagne vinegar
• 15 whole cloves
• 15 whole allspice
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 2 tablespoons mustard seeds

Method:-

For the rind:

1. Combine the watermelon rind, lime juice and salt in a large non-reactive saucepan; add enough water to cover.
2. Bring to barely a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium, maintaining the liquid just below the bubbling point.
3. Cook, uncovered, for 2 hours or until the rind is fork-tender.
4. Strain and let cool in a large resealable container.
   

For the pickling liquid:

1. Combine the sugar, vinegar, cloves, allspice, cinnamon sticks and mustard seeds in a medium non-reactive saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium so that the liquid cooks just below a boil for 10 minutes.
2. Remove the mixture from the heat and pour over the cooled watermelon rind; let cool to room temperature.
3. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Halloumi watermelon salad with caramelized pineapple

Ingredients:-

• 6 cups watermelon pieces
• 1 10-ounce brick halloumi cheese
• 4 cups fresh pineapple
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup sherry, cider or rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce or soy sauce
• 1/2 cup fresh mint, shredded
• 1/2 cup sliced scallions
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves

Method:-

1. Whisk together vinegar, sugar, lime juice, fish sauce or soy sauce and mint.
2. Cut up the best watermelon you have and refrigerate.
3. In a skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter.
4. When it stops foaming, add pineapple pieces in a single layer. (You may have to use the other tablespoon of butter and two batches.)
5. After the fruit in the pan browns, about 3 minutes, turn it.
6. After another side browns, remove the pineapple to a large mixing bowl. Add the chilled watermelon.
7. Slice halloumi a quarter-inch thick and brown in a hot, dry pan, turning slices once.
8. Immediately add to mixing bowl, add watermelon and moisten with minty dressing. Sprinkle with scallions and cilantro, as desired.

Strawberry Watermelon Punch Recipe

Ingredients:-

• 1 Pint Strawberries
• 4 Cup Fresh Watermelon Juice
• ½ Tsp Puréed Ginger
• ½ Cup Sugar

Method:-

1. Wash and stem berries in cold water.
2. Force through a food mill to separate seeds from the purée.
3. Extract the fruit purée using nylon sieve.
4. Combine all the ingredients in a jug, stir well and refrigerate for few hours.

Last but not least...
NK's Watermelon and Sprite Cocktail

Ingredients:-

• 6 cups watermelon pieces (chilled)
• Sprite/7-UP (refrigerated)

Method:-

1. Separate the watermelon pieces and put them into glasses
2. Pour Sprite into the glasses until the watermelon pieces are covered and serve
3. Optional: You can top it off with vanilla ice cream :D