Tarbooz Ke Chilke Ki Sabzi (Watermelon Rind Stir Fry)

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5 out of 5 Stars by 3 readers!

Watermelon rind stir fry is easy to make and taste delicious too! Serve this Indian tarbooz ke chilke ki sabzi with Indian flatbreads called chapati or puris and you have a good tangy meal.


Who knew that watermelon rind could taste this good? It’s more like a vegetable than fruit when cooked. Just try my mom’s Watermelon Rind Stir fry recipe and find out for yourself. It can easily be considered a watermelon rind pickle too!

My mom also figured out how to make some awesome watermelon fries. If you want the recipe, here you go!

What ingredients do you need to make Tarbooz ki sabzi?

What you need to make this Sabzi is a watermelon skin, oil or mustard oil, ginger, green chilies, methi or fenugreek seeds, turmeric, red chilli powder, garam masala, coriander powder, apple cider vinegar, jaggery, and salt.

How to cook Watermelon rind Stir fry?

Wash the watermelon thoroughly and cut it into pieces. Make sure the rind is clean as this is what we will be using. I usually give it a good scrub with baking soda as this is a natural cleanser.

Eat the fleshy fruit or store it for later.

Slices of watermelon rind on a blue cutting board.
Watermelon Rinds

Cut the rind into smaller pieces or cubes. I make these about 1.5 cm in size. You could try 2 cm or 1 inch too, but that turns out to be a bit too large methinks. And discard any bits of the rind that are yellowing or look damaged.

Pieces of chopped watermelon.
Chop the watermelon rinds into cubes

Heat oil in a vessel and add the fenugreek seeds and cook for a minute. Then add in the grated ginger and chopped chilies and stir for a few minutes.

Fenugreek seeds added to a vessel with oil.
Add methi seeds to the vessel
Grated ginger and cut chillies
Grated ginger and cut chillies
Add ginger and chilies to the oil.
Add ginger and chilies to the oil

Add in the other spices – namely turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder, and garam masala, along with the salt, and jaggery and mix well.

Various spices and jaggery added to the pan.
Add spices and jaggery

Add the pieces of watermelon rind and stir well.

Watermelon pieces being cooked in a pan.
Cook the watermelon rind on a low flame

Add in one curry spoon or 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and stir well. let the watermelon rind vegetable cook till quite dry. And your Tarbooz ki Sabji is ready to serve and eat with chapatis or rice!

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Spoon with vinegar over a vessel of watermelon rind.
Add a curry spoon of apple cider vinegar
Watermelon being cooked in a vessel.
Cook till dry
Tarbooz bhaji in a vessel.
Tarbooz bhaji is ready

Doesn’t it look delicious? Now you don’t have to discard the tarbooz rind ever again. Perhaps God created watermelons with the intention of us using the rind too. 😉 It’s so much like a vegetable. And this watermelon curry makes perfect use of the entire watermelon.

If you try this homemade freshly made tarbooz ke chilke ki sabji recipe, leave a comment and let us know how it went.

Tangy watermelon rind stir fry in a white bowl.
Tangy Watermelon rind stir fry
Watermelon sabzi in white bowls.
Serve as a watermelon pickle
Watermelon sabzi in a white bowl.
Delicious watermelon skin
Watermelon sabzi in a white bowl.

Watermelon Rind Stir Fry | Tarbooz Ke Chilke Ki Sabzi

Abby
Watermelon rind stir fry is easy to make and taste delicious too! Serve this Indian tarbooz ke chilke ki sabzi with chapati or puris and you have a good tangy meal.
5 out of 5 Stars by 3 readers!

Click the stars to add your rating! Left you don’t like it, right you love it!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Pickle, Side Dish
Cuisine Indian
Servings 10 Servings
Calories 101 kcal
Dairy free icon on Abbysplate website.
Gluten free icon on Abbysplate website.
Pickles and chutneys icon on Abbysplate website.
Vegetarian icon on Abbysplate website.

Ingredients
  

  • 800 g Watermelon Rind
  • 4 Tablespoon Oil Preferably Mustard Oil, but any will do
  • 1 teaspoon Fenugreek seeds
  • 3 Green Chillies – Fresh Chopped
  • 2.5 inch Ginger Grated
  • 2 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
  • 2 teaspoon Salt
  • 50 g Jaggery or Sugar
  • 3 Tablespoon Vinegar (Apple Cider)

Instructions
 

  • Cut the watermelon rind into small pieces or cubes.
  • Heat the oil in a vessel and add fenugreek seeds and fry for a minute.
  • Next, add in the grated ginger and chopped green chilies. Stir well and fry for 2 to 3 more minutes.
  • Add in the salt, jaggery, turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder, and garam masala. Mix well.
  • Add in the watermelon pieces and mix again till all the pieces are coated with the masala.
  • Add one curryspoon (3 tablespoons) of apple cider vinegar and cook until quite dry.
  • And you watermelon rind stir fry is ready.

Please click to rate the recipe! Left you don’t like it, right you love it!

Notes

  • The watermelon rind is more like a vegetable than a fruit.
  • Using Mustard Oil adds to the flavour of the dish, but you can use any oil.
  • We prefer using apple cider vinegar.
  • This watermelon rind stir fry goes well with yellow moong dal and rice, puris, or chapatis
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Stuff You Might Want to Use

All Natural Slate Cutting Board
King Arthur Baking - Country Bread Knife
Aluminium Kadai
Stainless Steel Spoon

Nutrition (Per Serving)

Calories: 101kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 518mg | Potassium: 116mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 574IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg

Disclaimer: Nutrition Information per serving is estimated by a third party software based on the ingredients used, and is for informational purposes only. It will vary from product to product, based on methods of preparation, origin and freshness of ingredients. Please consult the package labels of the ingredients you use, or chat with your dietician for specific details.

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Watermelon sabzi in a white bowl.
Tarbooz sabji is tangy

Cooking Tips & Tricks

  • Any vinegar will do, but we prefer using apple cider vinegar.
  • You can use any oil, however mustard oil adds to the flavor making it more like a pickle.
  • Cut the watermelon rind into 1.5 cm cubes. You can do other sizes too, but I find 1.5 cm just perfect.
  • Discard any bits of the rind that are yellowing or look damaged.
  • If you have too much fresh watermelon skin leftover, store it in the fridge. I’ll share my watermelon fries recipe soon.
  • If you prefer to use this watermelon dish as a pickle instead of a vegetable, put it in a glass jar, cover with a few tablespoons of oil and refrigerate. It’ll last for a few months.
  • We usally serve the watermelon stir fry with yellow moong dal and rice, puris, or chapatis
  • You might also want to try my mom’s awesome watermelon fries!
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What you want to Know about Watermelon Rinds Stir fry

How Long Can You Store Watermelon Rind Stir Fry?

You can store the watermelon rind in an air-tight container in the fridge for 2 or 3 months. Just cover it with a few tablespoons of oil before refrigeration.

What Part Is The Watermelon Rind?

The rind is the outer layer, the green skin of the watermelon that keeps the saturated fruit safe.

What Can You Do With Watermelon Rind?

Although the watermelon is a fruit, the rind can be used as a vegetable to make a curry or stir fry, pickle, or fries.

Is Watermelon Rind Good For You?

Yes, watermelon rind has many benefits. In fact, the rind is said to be more nutrient-dense than the red part. Research posted in ICJMAS shows that the rind has a higher concentration of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, phosphorus, calcium, and other minerals.

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