Watermelon Rind Salad
It’s watermelon season! They are a staple at family picnics and cookouts. But don’t toss the rinds just yet. The sweetness of the watermelon combined with the briny saltiness of the fish sauce makes this refreshing salad taste almost like an electrolyte drink. Then you get smokiness from the toasted rice and a bit of heat from chili flakes. This salad hits so many notes on the tastebuds.
Sua mak mo, is a Southeast Asian, or more specifically, Lao style watermelon rind salad that I’ve eaten for as long as I can remember. From the days of no-waste, it shows that the part of the watermelon that gets toss can still be a treat. In our family, the person who cuts the melon is the one who gets to enjoy this salad. Best part is that the watermelon can double as a bowl. Mix it, eat it, and toss it when you’re done!
Of course, you can scrape the flesh, mix in a bowl, serve in a serving dish, and share if you like. It comes together quickly and is a refreshing salad.
Note:
Watermelon – use any watermelon. If you’ve used a melon baller and still flesh left in the watermelon, this would be the perfect time to make this salad. And if you followed all those tips of picking watermelons and somehow still picked a dud that is not very sweet, use those not-so-sweet watermelons for this salad.
Fish sauce or padek (fermented fish sauce) – you can use one or the other or both. This is personal preference. The amount that you use depends how much flesh or size of your watermelon. It should be slightly salty and briny. If it tastes more like an electrolyte drink, add more fish sauce.
Toasted rice powder – toasted rice adds a little smokiness to the salad. You don’t need much of it either. This can be omitted if you don’t have it, but in my opinion, it’s better with it. Traditionally, toasted rice powder is made with sticky rice or sweet rice, but I have successfully made it with jasmine rice as well. Basically, dry roast the uncooked rice over low heat in a pan until it becomes golden brown. Let it cool and then pound it in a mortar and pestle or use a spice grinder.
Chili Flakes – dry chili flakes add a bit of heat. It can be omitted or adjusted to taste.
Watermelon Rind Salad
Time: 5 minutes
Watermelon Rind (with a little bit of red flesh remaining)
Fish sauce and/or padek (to taste) **
½ tablespoon toasted rice **
1 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes (to taste) **
- Use a spoon to scrape the flesh and rind of the watermelon. Try to get large chunks if possible.
- Season with fish sauce and/or padek (if using), toasted rice powder, and chili flakes.
- Toss to ensure the watermelon pieces have been coated with seasoning. Give it a taste and adjust seasoning to taste.
- Enjoy!
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