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MEALS THAT HEAL

Melon magic

There are many varieties and as many uses

LOW IN CALORIES Watermelon is an ideal diet food

Watermelon is an annual, trailing plant, with large, palmate, lobed leaves. Its tendrils can be easily trained over trellises. Its flowers are either male or female, and both are borne on the same plant. The many varieties of melon show diversity in foliage and fruit. Some may be as small as an olive, some may be egg shaped and some spindle-shaped. The outer skin may be smooth or netted, ribbed or furrowed and variously coloured. The flesh may be white, green, red or orange. There are fifty varieties of watermelon.

Watermelon is originally from Southern Africa. It is known as Tsamma melon, which grows in the wild. It is a popular source of water in the diet of the indigenous people, as well as a source of food for human beings and livestock.

Medicinal benefits

Watermelon is a wonderful diuretic; it is of great value in the treatment of diseases such as jaundice, typhoid and nephritis. It protects against macular degeneration. Watermelon contains a high concentration of lycopene, an antioxidant that helps reduce the risk of cancer and other diseases. As watermelon is fat free and low in calories, it is considered an ideal diet food. It is a great energy booster too. Watermelon is one of those rare fruits that contain very little quantity of nitrates, making it a valuable source of nutrition for children. Most varieties are rich in vitamin C and A.

Cuisine

Watermelon is eaten in different ways and is used to flavour summer coolers. The rind is also edible and sometimes used as a vegetable. In Chinese cuisine, it is stir-fried, stewed or pickled. Pickled rind is also used in Russian cuisine. The seeds are rich in fat and protein, and are eaten as a snack, added in the form of a paste or even used for producing oil. Watermelon is 92 per cent water by weight, the highest percentage contained in any other fruit.

Fusion food

Japan has been innovative and produced watermelons that are square in shape. Farmers of Zentsuji in Kagawa grew cube-shaped watermelon as an experiment as it could easily be packed and stored. They grew the melons in glass boxes and the fruit assumed the shape.

Now for a recipe.

Egusi soup

This soup is native to Africa. Ground egusi seeds (watermelon seeds) give this soup a unique colour, flavour and texture. They can be used as a substitute to pumpkin seeds.

Ingredients

Watermelon seeds: 75gm
Chicken cubes: 150gm
Peanut oil: 50ml
Tomato chopped: 60gm
Small onion chopped: 25gm
Coloured pepper: 2 nos
Tomato sauce: 600ml
Tomato paste: 3tbs
Water as required
Fresh spinach chopped: 100gm
Fresh cleaned shrimps: 200gm

Method: Soak the melon seeds and blend till they become a fine paste. Wash the chicken cubes and season with salt. In a pot, heat oil on a medium fire; sauté the chicken cubes till they turn brown in colour. Blend the tomatoes, onion and pepper till smooth. Add the mixture to the cooked chicken and cook on a slow fire till the meat is tender. Add tomato sauce and shrimps and simmer for 10 minutes. Add chopped spinach and ground watermelon seeds and cook for a while and serve hot.

HRUDANANDA BEHERA

Sous chef, Hip Asia,
Taj Connemara

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