Watermelon Rind Dal How to make Watermelon Rind Dal

When there is a watermelon in season, there is a dal recipe using it’s rind in our household. There are many ways of using this rind in cooking, but in our household we use it in more kulambu and dal frequently. The raita made using this rind also tastes good. So, after eating the red juicy flesh part of watermelon, do not throw it’s outer skin. Instead, remove the green part and cut into cubes, use it in this comfort dal based gravy.

No one can find it out that the watermelon rind is been used in this dal unless you say it explicitly. You may also use this rind to make kootu, which is slightly vary from the dal recipe given here. The rind is good source of amino acid and reduces the blood pressure. So buy the fruit and use it fully except the green peel and enjoy.

Basic Information:

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Tie: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

For Dal:

Watermelon rind – 1 cup, chopped

Moong dal – ½ cup

Onion – ½ cup, chopped

Tomato – ½ cup, chopped

Green chilli – 1, chopped

Garlic cloves – 3, chopped

Cumin seeds – ½ tsp

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Salt – to taste

Water – 1 and ½ cup  (or as required)

For Seasoning:

Oil – 3 tsp

Mustard seeds – ½ tsp

Cumin seeds – ¼ tsp

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Dry red chillies – 2, crushed

Asafoetida – a pinch

Video Recipe:

Recipe with step by step pictures:

1) Clean and remove the green and pink portion of the water melon rind. Chop it into small pieces.

2) Wash and soak dal for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, chop onion, tomato and green chilli.

3) In a pressure pan, add moong dal and 1 and 1/2 cup of water. Start cooking in medium flame.

4) After 5-7 minutes, you can see the foam forming on the surface of the water. Remove it using a ladle. This is nothing but the fat from dal.

5) Now, add chopped watermelon rind, onion, tomato, garlic and green chilli.

6) Add cumin seeds and turmeric powder. Mix well and cover it using the lid. Cook for 3 whistles.

7) Wait for some time to release the steam from pressure cooker.

8) Once the lid is opened, mix the dal using the ladle and slightly mash it. Add salt to taste and mix well.

9) In another pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, dry red chillies. Fry few seconds.

10) Add this seasoning to the dal. Add asafoetida. Mix well. Yummy, easy and comforting dal ready!

Serving Suggestions:

1) Serve this dal with hot steamed rice for lunch.

2) This rice and dal combinations goes well with pickle or any spicy subzi or southindian style poriyal/stirfries.

Lunchbox Idea:

I packed this dal with plain rice, cauliflower masala, baby carrots and green grapes.

Notes:

1) Use fresh watermelon rind for making this dal. Before adding the rind to the dal, taste it and check it is not giving any bitter taste.

2) Adjust the water consistency according to your personal preference. The given water quantity works well t get the correct consistency, however it is better to adjust according to the moong dal quality we use.

3) with three whistles, this dal cooks well. however, adjust it according to the moong dal brand and the thickness of the watermelon rind you use.