Watermelon Rind Sabji (Using the green peel)

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Watermelon Rind Sabji using the green edible skin of watermelon is a Vegan, No onion No garlic North Indian Style sabji/sabzi or dry vegetable. Again this sabji is taken from my mom’s recipe collection where she has been making this for ages.

Recently one of my close friends asked me to put this recipe on the blog. I was amazed that she remembered it. She said yes, she used to love it when I had it in my lunchbox. Strange things, sometimes you do not like some sabji and all your friends love it. Yes as a child I never liked this sabji but now I make it often.

So is the Green Watermelon Rind Edible?

Of course Yes, the green skin or the green rind of the watermelon is edible. People do use the white rind at times, but the green edible rind is not very popular. Reason being it has a tough skin. I read so many posts and everywhere it was you need to discard the green part. Stop that right away and use this fiber-rich skin when you can. One can read more about the watermelon rind nutrition in this article. 

Watermelon Rind Recipes

I have earlier shared a post on Raw Watermelon Rind and Avocado Salad where I have used the white flesh or the white rind of the watermelon. Yes, that can be eaten raw as well as the white part can be stir-fried. We do make a curry of the white part of the watermelon too. Hopefully, I will be sharing the recipe soon.

There are again a lot of recipes where watermelon rind is used in making pickles, preserves, jams, and candies. I have to try them sooner than later, as I am getting a lot of watermelon in the summer months. It is economical too and why waste something which has so much nutrition.

The white watermelon rind can be added to stir-fries along with your other veggies. The white flesh may be cooked or eaten raw but the green rind needs to be cooked. You would not be able to eat it raw though unless you juice it, which I have not yet tried. 

Recipe process of Watermelon Rind Sabji

So in today’s recipe of Watermelon Rind sabji using the green rind, the first thing we would need to do is get it clean. Then separate the white and the green part. Do not discard the white rind. Make this yummy and delicious no-cook Watermelon and Avocado Salad using the white rind.

With the grind rind, cut into small pieces. It then needs to be boiled or pressure cooked until tender. Rest we just do a stir fry or a tadka with different spices and you have one healthy no onion no garlic sabzi ready.

Another interesting recipe with something we discard is this Baked Jackfruit Rags Fries. These is simple and a quick 4 ingredient recipe made using Ripe Rags of Jackfruit. They are crunchy, delicious and addictive munching snacks. Completely vegan and gluten free and one of the best recipes which uses food waste, a part of fruit which many think is inedible.

Texture of this Sabji

This sabji is like a stir fry type dry vegetable. It has a slightly rough texture due to the outer hard green skin. Nevertheless, it comes out tasty and something different from our daily sabji.

Can I add Onion, Garlic & Tomatoes?

Yes, you can add onion, garlic, and tomatoes to this sabji. I made it the way my mom makes the simple traditional way. And also to show everyone, that sabji can be interesting and made without onion, garlic, and tomatoes too.

Recipe of Watermelon Rind Sabji

Watermelon Rind Sabji (Using the green peel)

Watermelon Rind Sabji using the green edible skin of watermelon is a Vegan, No onion No garlic North Indian Style sabji/sabzi or dry vegetable.

4.80 from 5 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: Fruits

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cooling Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Author: Renu Agrawal-Dongre

Equipment

• Pressure Cooker / Pot
• Knife
• Pan

Ingredients

• 2 Cups of Green Watermelon Rind cut into small pieces (Approximately – 230 grams)
• ½ teaspoon Asafoetida – Hing (For Gluten Free see notes)
• 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
• ½ teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
• 2-3 green chillies finely chopped
• ¼ inch ginger finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon oil
• Salt to taste
• Water as required

Instructions

• Wash and clean the watermelon rind.
  2 Cups of Green Watermelon Rind cut into small pieces
• Using a sharp knife separate the green and white part of the rind.
• Cut the green rind into small pieces. I prefer to cut lengthwise around 1 inch in length.
  
• For 2 cups of water, add around 2 cups of water and pressure cook in a pressure cooker for 2-3 whistles until tender.
  Water as required
  
• If using an open pan, boil a pot with 4 cups of water. Add the watermelon rind to it and let it boil until tender.
• Once done, let this cool completely. If you prefer you can do this step a day earlier and refrigerate the rind.
• Now remove the rind and squeeze out extra water and keep the rind in a separate plate or a bowl.
  
• In a pan add 1 teaspoon oil
  1 teaspoon oil
• Once hot, add asafoetida and cumin seeds.
  ½ teaspoon Asafoetida, 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
  
• Let the cumin seeds crackle.
• Add ginger and stir fry for a few seconds
  ¼ inch ginger finely chopped
• Once done add the watermelon rind, green chilly, remaining masala and salt.
  ¼ teaspoon turmeric, ½ teaspoon Garam Masala Powder, 2-3 green chillies finely chopped, Salt to taste, 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
  
• Cover and cook this for 8-10 minutes until the masala is well incorporated, stirring in between.
  
• The sabji should be done in about 10 minutes , or until the masala is cooked properly and there is no moisture left.

Notes

• 1 Cup = 235 ml, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp = 5 ml
• Asafoetida (Hing) powder available in shops contains wheat and is not gluten free. Gluten intolerant people can either skip completely or opt for Gluten Free Asafoetida (Hing)

 

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Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.

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