mandarin: xigua
watermelon is enjoyed in china just as it is in the u.s. - sliced into wedges and enjoyed as a refreshing summer treat. however, the culinary creativity of the chinese has led to some rather interesting uses of watermelon that are rarely seen in the west.
after meals, it is not uncommon to enjoy small wedges of watermelon, with the rind already removed, served on a plate with toothpicks for convenient eating. this leaves behind a very important part of the watermelon: the rind. in china the rinds are sometimes saved and used to make various dishes.
to prepare the rind for cooking, just use a knife to remove the thin, dark outer skin, then remove all traces of red, and finally chop the rind into cubes. what you'll be left with is a white, edible rind that has a rather different flavor from the more familiar red flesh. not only is this a nutritious part of the melon, but it is also a crisp and refreshing addition to many dishes, for example:
cold dishes
stir-fries (where you might use diced carrot, try substituting diced carrot + diced watermelon rind)
soups
etc.
if you have any good ideas for other uses of watermelon rind, please email me!
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