Watermelon rind curry or watermelon rind sabzi with detailed step-by-step photos and video.
With the summer season coming at us in full swing, this is the best time to get the juiciest and sweetest melons. But instead of throwing away all the rind, there are some interesting ways to capture the nutrients that go with them.
I am excited to share a delicious recipe from something that is normally thrown away...Watermelon rind! But this isn't as uncommon as you think, but definitely a seasonal thing.
The most common recipes with Watermelon rind are for pickles and jams, but here's an Indian take to it. I tried making 'curry' and it turned out way better than I expected. More so because I was not quite sure about how long to cook it and how well it absorbs the curry flavor.
If you like watermelon like me try my watermelon smoothie recipe.
But my hopes were all revived when the recipe became an instant hit with my family! What a great way to cut back on food waste and also add fiber and a ton of nutrients to your plate at the same time! If you like vegan curry recipes, please also check my vegan mushroom curry and Indian Zucchini curry.
Why you will like this
Watermelon rind is a great source of vitamin C, potassium, and citrulline which is great for heart health. All the more reason to use the rind instead of tossing it.
Watermelon rind has a crisp texture, almost like cucumber, and holds up well to heat which makes it great for cooking. The green part of the rind however is not edible and should be peeled off or cut off. As you try this recipe, it is important that you remove all the juicy red fruit to make sure the curry does not end up being too sweet.
That brings up the question of how spicy it needs to be. I used my homemade curry powder, turmeric, and garam masala to spice it. If your melon is really sweet, you could also add a little bit of red chili spice it up further. The most important thing is to allow the melon to cook while it also absorbs the flavors.
Jump to:
How To Make Watermelon Rind Curry
Start by removing the green skin from the rind with a peeler or knife.
Then chop them into small cubes.
Place a cast-iron skillet on medium heat and drizzle a few teaspoons on oil.
As the oil heats up, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
When the spices start to sizzle, add chopped onions.
Saute the onions until they are translucent and then add cubed watermelon rinds. Stir well.
Now add the turmeric powder, sambar/curry powder, garam masala powder, and salt. Continue to stir well.
Cover with lid until the watermelon rind is cooked. (Takes 10-12 mins)
Turn off the heat when the rind appears soft and cooked. That's it! Serve it hot as a pair for steamed rice or chapati!
How to serve this curry
We enjoyed this watermelon rind curry recipe as a pair with steamed white sona masoori rice. But the dish is equally good with plain cooked quinoa, brown rice, or soft homemade roti (chapati). It is best served hot but also good if you save some leftovers in the refrigerator.
If this recipe interests you, look for similar recipes in my blog such as the beetroot curry, bitter gourd curry, pineapple curry.
Here are a few more recipes that you might like...
Uma's tips
- Add any type of spice that you prefer like coriander or cumin powder.
- Peel the green skin and use the only white part of the rind.
- I used a cast-iron skillet to make this curry. This will help in caramelizing the melons and make the curry taste better.
- Do not add any water as you prepare this curry. The rind itself leaves out water just as you add salt.
I hope you try this recipe before the summer season winds up. The best-tasting melons show up early in the summer, so try it today and share your experience! Now my kids are surprised at how many good things come out of a watermelon and I am sure your family will have a pleasant surprise waiting for them!
More Vegan Side Dish Recipes
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And let me know in the comments what you loved about it.
Cook With My Homemade Spices
Love the flavors in this recipe?
Try cooking it with my freshly made spice blends, crafted to make every day Indian meals easier and more flavorful.
📖 Recipe
Watermelon Rind Curry
Equipment
Process Shot
Check above for step-by-step pictures (most of my recipes include pictures)
Ingredients
- 4 cups cubed watermelon rind - after green-skinned
- 1 large onion
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 3 teaspoon coconut oil
- 3 teaspoon sambar/curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon Garam masala
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Start by removing the green skin from the rind with a peeler or knife. Then chop them into small cubes.4 cups cubed watermelon rind
- Place a cast-iron skillet on medium heat and drizzle a few teaspoons on oil.3 teaspoon coconut oil
- As the oil heats up, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds.1 teaspoon mustard seeds, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- When the spices start to sizzle, add chopped onions.1 large onion
- Saute the onions until they are translucent and then add cubed watermelon rinds. Stir well.
- Now add the turmeric powder, sambar/curry powder, garam masala powder, and salt. Continue to stir well.3 teaspoon sambar/curry powder, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon Garam masala, Salt to taste
- Cover with lid until the watermelon rind is cooked. (Takes 8- 10 mins)
- That's it! Watermelon rind curry is ready! Serve it hot or warm as a pair for steamed rice or chapati.
Video
Notes
- Add any type of spice that you prefer like coriander or cumin powder.
- Peel the green skin and use the only white part of the rind.
- I used a cast-iron skillet to make this curry. This will help in caramelizing the melons and make the curry taste better.
- Do not add any water as you prepare this curry. The rind itself leaves out water just as you add salt.
YOUR OWN NOTES
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
Sheryl says
HELP! I just made this dish, doubled. Not sure what happened, but other than using grapeseed oil instead of coconut oil, I followed the recipe to the letter. I did grind my own garam masala and my turmeric had been in the cabinet for a while. Several things didn't work for me...it took over an hour for the watermelon to cook down so that it wasn't raw and had some sauce to it; I added a bit of water to facilitate steam so it would cook; it was bland and the sauce was very bitter, so I added a bit of sugar, which helped. And I waited until the end to salt. I want to make this work because we eat tons of watermelon every summer...any suggestions? Would chilling and eating as leftovers help?
Uma Raghupathi says
I am not sure why it is bitter (maybe because of old spices). For the leftover curry, you can add a little bit of curry powder and reheat it again. I hope you removed the green skin and use only the white part of the rind.
Garlan says
This is my go-to recipe for when I buy a whole watermelon– it's so refreshing and I really enjoy it alongside rice! I'm so glad to be able to turn the rinds into delicious and nutritious food now. I've even left the watermelon skin on sometimes when I'm in a hurry and I still enjoy it, just adds some extra crunch and fiber if you're up for the texture. Thank you so much for sharing your expertise!
Uma Raghupathi says
Thank you so much, Garlan.
Jagruti's Cooking Odyssey says
Such a delicious way to use watermelon rinds. This curry is easy, delicious and perfect without using many spices.
Uma Raghupathi says
Thank you Jagruti!
Padma Veeranki says
Best way to use watermelon rind.....The curry looks super delicious with simple spices!! Amazing share!!
Uma Raghupathi says
Thank you Padma 🙂
Sapana and Gautam Beh says
I once made this watermelon rind curry and we all loved it.Will try to make your version the next time I get watermelons.
Jolly says
Having recently discovered the rind can be used as well from the watermelon & making such lovely recipes from it. This looks a great recipe for using the watermelon rind and a great option for vegan as well.. Beautiful share!
Geetanjali Tung says
The curry looks and sounds amazing to me! What an innovative dish! This post is really tempting me to try this sometime. Thanks for sharing!
Mayuri Patel says
Uma I just made watermelon rind curry and dry version just for today's lunch. Its such an easy and delicious sabji. What I like is since the rind has no flavour of its own, one can add any spices and herbs to make it flavorful.
Vandana says
Very interesting recipe. Never thought that even watermelon rind could be used in cooking but the curry looks really tempting. I will try it, thanks for sharing.
Lathiya says
I love watermelon but never thought of using its rind. This is a genious way to use watermelon rind. The curry looks delicious.
Uma Raghupathi says
Thank you Lathiya:)
Sandhya Nadkarni says
I like the flavor combination of this subji, Uma! i will try this next time i get a watermelon. Fabulous share!
Uma Raghupathi says
Thank you Sandhya!
Lata Lala says
What we think is waste, you have converted it into simple yet delicious sabzi. With use of basic simple spices it has come out well.
Uma Raghupathi says
Thank you Lata! Hope you will try this soon.
Bless my food by Payal says
I have made Tutti Fruity with watermelon Rind and was looking for more recipes with the same. Thank you for sharing it. This looks absolutely delicious