Fermented watermelon and mint salad that can be enjoyed alone as a tasty cultured snack or presented in a serving bowl as an appetizer for the main meal.
Watermelon is not a food I typically would consider as a candidate for fermentation.
However, my husband loves watermelon but eating it right out of the rind does not digest too well for him.
So, I developed this simple cultured watermelon and mint salad as a dish that he can enjoy without discomfort later.
The key is to cut up the watermelon fresh!
Buying pre-cut chunks from the supermarket does not work well as the watermelon tends to sour before it cultures.
Fresh watermelon chunks can lightly ferment for a day on the counter such that they will retain the lovely sweetness.
The tartness of the mint leaves balance out the effect of the lactic acid. At the same time, mint adds additional digestive benefits and flavor complexity to the dish as a whole.
If you have trouble digesting fresh fruit, try this easy cultured salad. Perhaps the light fermentation will allow you to enjoy it once again!
This dish also makes a great after school snack for kids with a glass of farm fresh grassfed milk!
Cultured Watermelon and Mint Salad
Fermented watermelon and mint salad that can be enjoyed alone as a tasty cultured snack or presented in a serving bowl as an appetizer for the main meal.
Ingredients
- 4 cups watermelon chunks freshly chopped and seeded
- filtered water
- 2 Tbl raw honey
- 2 Tbl liquid whey
- 4-6 fresh mint leaves coarsely chopped
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions
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Gently mix cubed and seeded watermelon and chopped mint in a medium-sized bowl. Transfer to a wide-mouth mason jar. Include any watermelon juice in the bowl.
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Mix liquid whey, raw honey, and sea salt in a small bowl. Add a few tablespoons of filtered water as needed to mix thoroughly.
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Pour the whey/honey mixture over the watermelon and mint in the mason jar.
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Carefully drizzle in enough additional filtered water to just cover.
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Secure the mason jar lid and very gently turn the jar twice to fully mix the fruit, mint, water, and whey/honey blend.
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Open the lid and place a glass fermentation weight inside the jar to keep the watermelon chunks fully immersed in liquid as needed.
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Re-affix the lid and leave it on the counter for 24 hours.
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Refrigerate immediately.
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To serve, drain off the liquid (use in smoothies) and place fermented watermelon and mint salad in a serving bowl garnished with a few fresh mint leaves. Alternatively, remove just a few watermelon chunks at a time from the mason jar and enjoy alone as a tasty cultured snack.
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Refrigerated, this delicate cultured salad will remain fresh for eating for up to one week.
Your recipe looks great. I am very sensitive to milk. Is there something other than whey that I can use to culture the watermelon?
You can try a vegetable starter. It might work. I have not tried it with one. https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/go/vegetable-starter-culture
This is like a watermellon kvass!! Wow, my grandma used to make it out of different kinds of berries with some salt and cinnamon. I never did taste it but my cousins told me…I’m going to try to make this one and the berry one too. Thanks all your inspiration Sarah!!
~ Geri
Wow, that is amazing! I had no idea this was a traditional thing! I was just trying to make watermelon that my hubby could actually eat and not feel miserable later!! Thank you for sharing! I am so excited to hear this!