I know what you are thinking, Yes! The watermelon skin can be eaten.
The Chinese medicine claims that it can help cool the body, so it is excellent for this hot weather.

I posted this photo months ago in my FB and score many "likes" and queries.
They were all drawn to the charming red and white flesh and the novel of cooking and eating watermelon skin.

To make this nourishing and flavourful soup, we will need another ingredient that we usually toss it away - prawns heads and shells.

Being a Nyonya dish, you can't get away with belachan, another must for this soup.

This traditional Nyonya soup "masak titik" once again demonstrates the resourcefulness of the Bibi and the way to frugal living.

What are you waiting for? Start saving your prawn shells and heads already!


You will need:

200gm of briefly minced prawns, seasoned with 1/2 teaspoon of salt (reserve shells and heads for stock)
2 tbsp cooking oil
1-litre water
300gm watermelon skin
30gm shallots (pound coarsely)
10gm lightly toasted belachan
4-5 white peppercorns, crushed lightly
2 bird's eye chillies, slit length wise
1/2 Tsp salt, to taste
5-10gm rock sugar to taste

Methods:

1. To make the prawn stock, heat the oil in a pan and fry the prawn's head and shells until dry and aromatic, about 5-10 minutes.

2. Add water and allow it to boil for 5 minutes on medium heat and lower the heat to simmer stock for another 20 minutes.

3. Strain the stock and set aside.

4. Remove the green layer of the watermelon skin and any remaining flesh, leaving only the white part of the skin. Cut into 3cm cubes. Set aside

5. In a separate pot, add 1 tablespoon of oil and lightly saute the pound shallots and belachan over medium heat, add the strained prawn stock and the crushed peppercorns.Boil for about 10 minutes.

6. Add in the watermelon skin and bird's eye chillies, boil for another 10-15mintues.

7. Finally, add in the prawn meat and boil till prawn meat is just cooked.

8. Serve hot with a dash of pepper.


Cook's Note:
1.If you cannot handle the heat, reduce the number of bird's eye chilli and leave it whole instead of slicing it.
2. You may substitute belachan with belachan powder