It is only March and we are already hot around the collar in Bangalore. However, fruit lovers are lucky as there are melons to brighten the day and help to cool and refresh all at once. Mounds of water melon have already found their way to highways and traffic intersections. In the city, fruit cart vendors and fruit shops have the smaller musk melon.
Bridget White Kumar, who has written a host of Anglo-Indian cook books, shares an unusual salad recipe. “Both water melon and musk melons make a lovely cool summer salad when mixed with chopped onions, tomatoes, green onions, small wedges of cheese and a pinch of salt and served with a dash of lime juice. It is a nice, sweet and salty salad, which I garnish with chopped coriander leaves or celery.”
Ranjini Kamath says she had bought a melon that was labelled Honey dew and it tasted like its namesake. Sneha Naidu from Fraser Town says, “Melons herald the summer for me. I love juicy musk melons and have used them as centre pieces at parties. The seeds are yummy too and keep me company as I watch Downton Abbey .”
The seeds of the musk melon could also be put into a strainer and the juice squeezed over the cubed fruit for added flavour. It is preferable to cube all melons and discard the rind, as the water they are grown in could be suspect and lead to salmonella if left unwashed.
Gina Mascarenhas who lives in Cooke Town, says musk melon milk shake tastes wonderful and is a terrific cooler. Her recipe calls for peeling and deseeding the melon. “Blend with a little cold milk and sugar (optional) until it is smooth . Then add a few scoops of vanilla ice cream and viola, your smoothie is ready.”
If you have a slice or two of the fruit that has gone squishy, you could mix it in a little milk and apply it as a face pack. So indulge in the melons till it is time for the coming of the king—mango.
