Instructions: Indian melons come in a variety of colours from cool coral to a translucent pistachio green. Tall frosted glasses of sweet melon juice are served on the rocks and wedges of fruit are used to embellish many salads and sweets. After the juicy flesh of the melon is eaten the seeds as well as the hard flesh closest to the rind are put to use. The hard flesh is grated and added to seasoned and sweetened flour to make melon bread which is popular on the western coast of India. The seeds go into many sweets and snacks.

how it grows
Although melons grow in many countries around the world in India their cultiva ion is particularly unusual. As the winter gives way to summer countless small rivers in India begin to dry up creating for the farmer a fertile river bed. It is here that myriad varieties of melons are grown. The melon vine which grows along the ground has the unique power of drawing water from deep within the earth. In the summer one can see melon seeds laid out to dry like ivory carpets on the thatched roofs of rural cottages. The seeds are cleaned and spread out on jute sheets until they are completely dry. They are then packed and sold.

appearance and taste
Only white melon seeds are used in indian cookery (therefore not the seeds of the water melon). The outer grayish white hard shell is opened to reveal the ivory white kennel. This is slightly soft and oval. Melon seeds have no smell but are nutty and sweet in devour.

buying and storing
Melon seeds are sold in the shell or peeled. However you can collect your own after eating a melon. Just wash them in a sieve to remove all the pulp or fibres and spread them out to dry. Shell them by breaking off the tapered end then discard the shells. Lay out the kernels to dry off completely then store in an airtight jar.

culinary uses
They are primarily used roasted in snacks like Bombay mix. The seeds are sparkled on top of sweets like sticky halwas and fruit fudge. They are also added to mouthfresheners which are a mixture of nuts and spices and are eaten after meals. North indian meat curries especially those that are white in colour are thickened with a paste of melon seeds. Try them in salads with breakfast cereals and on top of fruit puddings.

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