Watermelon (White portion -peel) Dosa

Watermelon (White portion -peel) Dosa 

Isn't it amazing to have a fruit whose each and every part is useful, the fruit itself pink portion, seeds and yes the rind i.e the white portion, a few days back had posted a sabzi out of it. A few days back i tried this dosa believe me its amazing ....do try.

Ingredients:
Rice - 1 1/2 cupMelon pieces(white rind portion alone) - 1 cup
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2tsp
Scrapped coconut - 1/2 cup
red chillies, coriander seeds, cumin seed
finely chopped onion-1 med, green chilli-2-3, coriander and curry leaves
Salt - for taste

Method:

Soak rice and fenugreek seeds in water for two hours.

Puree the white portion of the watermelon.

Grind the soaked rice, coconut and melon puree together into a smooth batter. You can also add red chillies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds while grinding.

Add salt to the batter and mix well. The batter doesn't have to ferment.

The batter should be little thinner than Idli batter consistency.
Now add finely chopped onion, green chilli, coriander and curry leaves to the batter and mix well. Keep this aside for about 15 minutes so that all the flavours blend well.

Heat tawa/griddle and pour a ladle full of batter spread and cook on both the sides in medium-low heat till they turn golden brown.

Serve hot with Chutney or Sambar

Detoxing and cooling drink

  Detoxing and cooling drink

Looking for something refreshing to drink that will not only hydrate you but also detox and at the same time tastes delicious? This is the drink for you.  There is nothing more refreshing then lemon, cucumber, watermelon and mint water! And wait until you find out the benefits!

• Watermelon contains organic compound citrulline that helps the body flush out toxins. 
• Water helps flush nasty toxins and waste through our system giving organs like the liver and kidney an easier time doing their job. 
• Lemon or lime juice helps stimulate and regulate the digestive, stimulates bile production, and thins out bile, which allows it to flow more freely. 
• Mint leaves are not only a nice refreshing flavor to add to your drinks, but also help you digest more effectively and relax cramped up stomach muscles. 
• Beets have shown themselves to be particularly helpful when it comes to aiding the liver in detoxification.

Cucumber, Watermelon, Lemon and Mint Water

Ingredients:

• 12 cups of filtered water (3 quarts)
• 1 medium organic cucumber
• 2-3 small organic lemons
• 10-12 organic mint leaves

Directions:
Wash lemons and cucumbers; slice thinly. Add lemons, cucumber, and mint to pitcher. Cover with water and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight or Slice up a good amount of watermelon into cubes, rind and all, and put them into a jug or pitcher. Cut 1 juicy lime into wedges and toss in with the watermelon. Add a handful of fresh, fragrant, mint leaves and pour in 2 liters of cool water, filling the jug all the way to the top. Let this sit overnight in the fridge and let all the yummy flavors steep and infuse the water. When you want to drink it, put in a generous helping of ice cubes, pour, and enjoy daily.


Try substituting or adding a lemon for the lime, cucumber for the watermelon, beets or a combination of all of them.(cucumber lemon or watermelon mint).

Cool and detox with this beverage.

Mrs Shilpa Mittal
Nutritionist and Diet Consultant
Founder Shilpsnutrilife - Diet and lifestylemakeover

Water Melon white Rind Sabji

Water Melon white Rind Sabji

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.

About water melon white rind it is said that is very helpful in relaxing blood vessels and lowering blood  pressure as it has a high dose of cirulline amino acid .Finding a use for it also helps cut down on the amount of garbage you produce, so it’s good for the environment as well.So why to throw it, and try making its sabji. 

It is very simple, tasty and easy to make. It tastes very similar to loki(bottle gourd), cucumber, turai all water based vegetable group.

My Mom use to make it, i remember enjoying it  a lot, hope my version is nearest to hers

Ingredients

1 cup water melon white rind peeled and cut

1medium sized chopped onion

1medium sized chopped tomato

1tbsp finely chopped garlic        

1tsp ginger grated                                   

1 finely chopped green chilli                                     

Salt to taste

½ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp red chili powder                                                  

1 red chili cut into big pieces

1 tsp. Mango powder

1 tsp cumin seeds

A pinch of asafoetida 

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

        

                                                                  

Method

Heat the oil in pan on medium high heat.  Add asafetida, cumin seeds and dry red chili, let it splutter till it stops.

Add the grated ginger,garlic chopped onions and saute until it turns transparent. 

Add the chopped tomatoes, peeled and chopped water melon white rind, salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, mango powder and green chillies.Mix well.

Do not add water because water melon rind is cooked in its own water.

Cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, on low flame for 10-12 minutes or till the vegetable is almost done i.e it should be easily pierced with a fork and most of the water  is almost absorbed.

Now remove the cover from the pan and lemon juice.

Water melon white rind sabji is ready.  Garnish with  coriander leaves.

This side dish goes well with the roti, parantha and poori.

Enjoy!

Watermelon the super duper cooler

Watermelon the super duper cooler

It is the season of watermelons. They are best during the summer as they are sweet and juicy.
As the name says it all watermelon is 92% water and only 8%sugar.

Research shows that watermelon cuts the risk of sun related skin damage by 40%. That's because watermelon is nature's richest source of lycopene, an antioxidant that scavenges the UV-induced free radicals that cause sunburn and wrinkling. Lycopene may also help reduce the risks of cancer and other diseases. 

Watermelon can help improve sleep. It is high in vitamin B6 which helps manufacture serotonin and dopamine (mood related chemical) in brain.When levels of serotonin increase at night, the brain is less sensitive to disruptive stimuli (like noise) during sleep.

It helps the body flush out toxins because it contains the organic compound citrulline, which is an amino acid that has been shown to help the liver and kidneys filter and get rid of ammonia. Ammonia comes in external forms, but is also a by-product of the proteins our bodies are burning up constantly for energy, and it’s quite damaging to our cells.Watermelon may also just give the liver an overall boost. 



Watermelons are rich in electrolytes, sodium and potassium which are lost through perspiration. Also its high potassium content helps to control BP.

They are rich in Vitamin A, B and C. What's more, they are low in calories and very nutritious.

Choose the right watermelon. Always choose one that is symmetrical and firm without any cuts and bruises. Turn it over and you will see a yellow colour on one side. The yellow area is a good sign as it shows that the watermelon was rested on the ground while ripening under the sun. It is also an indication that your melon is sweeter and juicer. Slap your melon and if it sounds hollow, then it is ripe.

So, next time you hit a fruit shop, don't forget to shop for a watermelon.