sister herb
Official TTI Chef
3 cups watermelon rind
1.5 cups sugar
Zest of one orange (the colored part only not the white)
juice of half a lemon
1 cinnamon stick
Remove the green parts off the rind and then cut the rind into 1-2 cm cubes.
Add enough boiling water to submerge the rind cubes then leave it to cool down and store it in the fridge over night the next day drain the watermelon reserving 2 cups water and then add the watermelon and water to a pot and bring it to a boil over medium heat.
When the water boils lower the heat and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the sugar (you need to add half the amount of watermelon in sugar, the ratio is 2:1 watermelon rind to sugar) and stir till the sugar dissolves
Then add the cinnamon and orange peel and lower the heat .
Stir the mix occasionally for an hour over very low heat keeping the pot partially covered. (you may need to add water if you feel the fluid is drying up before the watermelon rind is cooked through, you’ll know it is cooked through when it turns translucent )
Gradually the liquid will thicken and deepen in color, if you like the watermelon rind to be of candied fruit consistency leave it till it is deep amber color and most of the liquid has been absorbed
If you like it to more closer to the consistency of a loose jam take it off the heat when the color is golden.
One thing you should remember, the color and consistency of the jam will continue to deepen and thicken after you take it off the heat as it cools down.
Notes:
If you do not go through enough watermelon to produce 3 cups of rind you can peel and cut the rind and submerge it in water and store it in the fridge, add to it until you have the entire amount you need to make the jam
Serving suggestions:
The jam is eaten with bread , toast ,with some heavy or double cream or with some butter. You can also top desserts with it. There is also the option of cutting it with a cookie cutter instead of cutting the rind into squares and cooking it the same way and then draining off the liquid and allowing it to drain over night on a wire rack and serving as candy
