Watermelon Rind Bhaji
Summer and watermelon are basically synonymous in my household. We go through at least one watermelon a week during warmer months. Today I’m sharing a delicious way to use leftover watermelon rind. Yes, you read that right. Watermelon RIND! The rinds are full of valuable nutrition and they are totally edible and delicious. The taste and texture is similar to bottle gourd (lau) or marrow, and they tend to soak up all delicious flavor from the spices.
This recipe comes straight from my mother’s kitchen, where she has developed several methods to incorporate the peels, seeds and kernels of various vegetables and fruits. She hardly throws anything and makes sure to cut back on food waste.
You can enjoy this dish with rice or any flatbread of your choice. Once you make it, I’m sure that it’ll make frequent appearances on your table during the summer months.
Kitchen Notes:
Feel free to skip the egg to make this dish vegan.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups Watermelon Rind (green peel removed and cubed or sliced into small pieces) 1 cup Potato (cubed or sliced into small pieces) 1 Ripe Tomato (seeded and chopped) 1 egg (whisked) ½ cup Onions (chopped) 1 tbsp Neutral oil 1 tsp Ginger paste 1 tsp Garlic paste 1 tsp Coriander powder 1 tsp Cumin powder ¼ tsp Turmeric powder ¼ tsp Red chili powder 1 tsp Salt or to taste 1 cup Water 3-4 Thai green chilies Chopped Cilantro for garnishing (optional)
METHOD
Heat oil in a pan on medium heat.
Add the chopped onions and saute for a bit. Once they begin to soften, add the ginger and garlic paste.
After a minute, add the coriander, cumin, turmeric and red chili powder. Add a tablespoon of water as well, to prevent the spices from burning.
Add the watermelon rind and mix well with the spices. Add ½ cup of water, cover and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring at the halfway mark.
Then add the potatoes and rest of the water. Cover and cook for another 8-10 minutes.
Once the rind and potatoes are soft and most of the water is absorbed, remove the lid and add the tomatoes. Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Remove the lid and slowly add the whisked egg**.
Mix well, add the green chilies and cook for another couple minutes.
Remove from heat, garnish with cilantro and serve.
** See kitchen notes.
