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Some of the benefits of watermelon rind include its ability to strengthen the immune system with the presence of Vitamin C, lower blood pressure due to the presence of potassium,  improve the skin with its antioxidants, help in weight loss with its fibre content and ensure a safe pregnancy due to the natural sugars found in the rind, which can help to minimize symptoms of morning sickness and the high potassium content helps with the swelling associated with pregnancy.

This batter using watermelon rind needs fermentation. It has the sour taste of a traditional batter, yet a bit of a fruity taste from the rind. It spreads well and crisps up, though not as much as the traditional dosa. If lentils give you bloating and indigestion, this batter is for you as there are no lentils in this batter as opposed to the traditional dosa batter which uses white urad daal.

Watermelon Rind Dosa

Ingredients ~

1 cup rice

1 cup watermelon rind

1/2 cup fresh grated coconut

1/2 cup poha

Salt to taste

Method ~

1. Wash and soak the rice in water for about 3-4 hours.
2. After the rice has been soaking for 3 hours, wash and soak the poha in a little water.
3. In a mixer grinder, grind the washed and soaked rice to a smooth paste.
4. Drain the poha and add to the grinder with the chopped watermelon rind pieces and grated coconut.
5. Add salt and grind to a smooth paste.
6. Leave the batter to ferment for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Making the Dosa

1. The consistency of the batter should be of a pouring consistency, so as to spread it easily on the dosa tava.
2. Heat a dosa tawa and brush it with a little oil. Drop a spoonful of the dosa batter on the tava and spread it in a circular movement to form a dosa.
3. Add a little oil around the edges of the dosa.
4. Cook on a medium high flame till golden and crisp at the bottom.
5. Turn it over and cook on the other side.

Serve hot with watermelon rind chutney with coconut, watermelon rind chutney with tomato or watermelon rind chutney with herbs.

Enjoy!

This article is by Shivani Khanna

All pictures are personal images of Sttudio 292