Water melon rind halwa

Summer and watermelon are inseparable. Watermelon are found almost everywhere in the world. Although we can find watermelons in our markets throughout the year, the season for watermelon is the summer when they are sweet and of the best quality. No other fruit can we find so crunchy and thirst quenching like watermelon.

 When the heat of summer tires us with thirst, eating watermelon is a safe alternative to taking energy drinks. Since it contains high water quantity it can hydrates us whereas other drinks are caffeine filled energy drinks, which can easily dehydrate us. Nothing can be more satisfactory on a hot, dusty day than a crisp, juicy slice of watermelon! 

        Do you know that the rind of water melon is edible?....... The term rind usually refers to the skin or peel of a fruit. In watermelon, the rind consists of two parts - the outer green skin and the inner white pulp.The outer green skin of the rind is hard and inedible, so it is discarded. The inner whitish part of the rind is edible, although it has a bland taste when raw and is not as soft as the central red part. Today i am not using the juicy red part of the watermelon but the white part of water melon rind to make this delicious halwa.

      I got this recipe from one of my friend, who posted in one of the  Face book food group , I was drawn to it like a magnet. (Don't ask why because I have no idea. Maybe it had something to do with my hesitation to throw away all that pretty green rind. Or, maybe I just like any recipe with the word halwa.) This recipe is simple just like carrot or bottle gourd halwa. 

Ingredients:

• 5 cups Water melon rind (grated)
• 1/2 cup Jaggery
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 1/4tsp Cardamom powder
• 2tbsp Ghee/clarified butter
• 1cup Fresh cream
• 1tbsp Cashewnut,broken
• 1tbsp Raisins
• 10 Almonds,sliced
• 5-6 strands of Saffron

Cooking Directions:

• For this recipe, you'll need the rind of a 2 kg melon. Use the white inner rind, not the outer green part, which might have been waxed. Shred the rind with the large holes of a box grater, or cut it into chunks and shred it in a food processor .
• Fry nuts in little ghee till golden and keep aside
• Now take a heavy bottomed kadai or pan,add ghee and sugar and stir till it changes to light brown colour,now add the grated water melon rinds and Keep stirring on high flame till the water dries up completely.
• Now add the cream and cook further on medium flame,till the fat separates.
• Add jaggery and keep on stirring till the halwa turns to light brown colour and almost dry.
• Add saffron stands and cardamom powder and stir for 2-3 minutes and switch off the gas.

• Garnish with roasted nuts and tasty water melon halwa is ready to serve !

If you have tried any of these recipes or have recipes of your own, i want to hear about your experiences so be sure to leave your comments in the comment box below this post..thank you :)