I am a ferment friend.  I adore how brining watermelon rind turns waste into vibrant probiotic pickles. Brining is quick; 2-3 weeks later fermentation has worked its magic – the results sour, spicy and super crunchy. Eat as is, serve beside Thai curry or shiitake omelette, or toss through duck breast salad.

Peel green part off watermelon rind, then chop white part into 3cm pieces. Pack a clean 3-cup (750ml) jar with a non-corrosive airtight lid with rind, 2 shredded kaffir lime leaves, 1 bruised lemongrass stalk and 1-3 halved small red chillies. For the brine, combine 10g sea salt, 25ml good-quality fish sauce and 100ml boiling water in a heatproof jug, stirring to dissolve salt. Stir through 400ml cold filtered water. Pour brine over rind mixture, filling to 2cm below rim (use excess brine to seasona soup or curry).

Cover tightly, stand in a bowl and leave in a cool place for 2-3 weeks or until furious bubbling subsides. Open and taste. If you’d like it more sour, reseal and stand for another 7 days. Store in fridge and eat over the next 3 months. Keep the top of the jar clean and don’t double dip.

Store and select
Select watermelons that feel heavy for their size and have no soft spots. Select cut watermelons that are bright in colour with no mildew. Store uncut watermelons at room temperature and cut watermelons wrapped directly in plastic wrap and chilled.

Goes with
Feta, olives, chilli, lime, coriander, cumin, strawberries, rosewater.

See here for our recipe for watermelon and pomegranate salad.