Nothing is more refreshing in the summer than cold, sweet, and salty watermelon slush! This can quickly become your favorite summer indulgence.
After mangoes, watermelon is another fruit I look forward to eating in summer.
I learnt from my mother how to pick a right watermelon. Growing up in India, I was invariably the “unpaid chauffeur” for my mother’s grocery shopping! Looking back now, I remember my mother had to cajole me every single time and how she engaged the street hawkers in conversations to know where the produce was grown and how fresh it was. She never purchased any produce from the standard conventional produce stalls but always went to the local villagers who humbly laid their produce on pavements and sold them at a considerably cheaper price than the conventional produce. Little did I know, that I was eating fresh, local, and organic produce!! Good old memories rushing back….
Today, I am grateful to my mom, because of her, I too have a good eye and a sharp tongue for picking the right kind of produce. Back then, organic produce called as ‘jawari’ in India was cheaper than the conventional hybrid produce. Not true anymore in bigger cities….
When I first tasted watermelon in US, it felt like eating something thick and sticky like a sugar syrup! It tasted very different as though the natural flavors of the fruit were altered to make it extra sweet. Later on I tried the organic variety and that tasted like watermelon for me!! Good quality watermelon should look green and fresh, heavy and firm to hold (pick the heaviest from the lot). I would encourage you all to eat organic watermelons which are easily found now in major grocery stores.
Per Ayurveda, when we start eating fresh produce as nature intended it to be, our taste buds get cleaner and sharper which in turn helps us to keep our digestive and immune system healthy and strong. Before we get to making this slushy, let’s explore some of the Ayurvedic attributes and why its good for us in summer.
Watermelon is energizing and delicious. It satisfies thirst and hunger, it helps flush stagnant fluids from our bodies which in turn reduces swelling or edema. Best fruit to have to pacify overheated pitta. Caution for vata, as the diuretic nature of watermelon might lead to drying, this can be easily corrected by adding little fat/oil in your diet.
One little caution, don’t make eating ice-cold slushy a habit in summer, having anything ice-cold dilutes or digestive fire (agni) per Ayurveda. I think indulging in these treats once in a while is harmless and that’s what “balance” is all about – right?!
Making of Watermelon Slushy
This is so simple to make and especially fun to make with kids. All you need is a blender, and few ingredients.
- 1/2 medium sized seedless Watermelon
- 3- 4 tsp Lime juice
- 1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
- 1-2 tsp Date Sugar or any natural whole food sweetener (optional, if you get a good quality watermelon)
- 1/2 tsp Cardamom powder (optional)
Chop watermelon into big chunks and throw them in the blender. Add rest of the ingredients and blend away until you get a smooth textured puree. You could, straight away drink this – it’s AMAZING to taste!!
For slushy, pour this puree in an airtight glass container and freeze it for 4-5 hours. When it’s solid, take it out of the freezer and let it defrost for awhile, then take a fork and scrape away! You can scrape it like you see in this photo. This makes about 2-3 cups.
I just love the simplicity of this recipe, combination of lime juice with salt gives a new dimension to the naturally sweet watermelon. Give this a try…you’ll be hooked on the flavor and this slushy will just melt in your mouth!
Now… thinking what other fruits will make a good slushy?! Any ideas….
