This watermelon rind chutney is full of flavor and super easy to make. It is made using watermelon rind as a base which is great because it is an excellent recipe you can try when experimenting with zero waste cooking.
The dish is super versatile and once you give the recipe a shott, it is sure to become an all-time favorite in your household.
Scroll down to take a closer look at everything you need to know about making the recipe.
Jump to:
Ingredients For the Recipe
To make the watermelon rind chutney, here is what you will need.
- Oil: ½ tbsp
- Urad dal: 1 tbsp
- Green chilies: 2
- Onions (roughly chopped): ¼ cup
- Watermelon rind (chopped): 1 cup
- Coriander leaves (roughly chopped): ¼ cup
- Salt: 1 tsp
- Tamarind paste: 1 tbsp
For the tempering
- Oil: 1 tbsp
- Mustard seeds: 1 tbsp
- Curry leaves: 8-10
How to Make the Watermelon Rind Chutney
Once you have your ingredients ready, here is what you will need to do to make the watermelon rind chutney.
Heat oil in a pan. Add the urad dal and green chilies and saute.
Next, add the onions, green chilies, and coriander leaves. Saute. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes.
Add the chopped watermelon rinds next.
Add the salt next and mix.
Keep aside and let it cool down to room temperature.
Transfer the mixture to a blender along with the tamarind paste and blend into a smooth paste. You should be able to make the paste without adding water. If it turns too thick then add 1-2 tablespoon of water.
Add the tamarind paste and blend it once more.
Transfer the chutney to a bowl and keep aside.
Prepare the tempering by heating oil in a small pan and adding the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Once they start to crackle, immediately transfer and pour on top of the chutney. Mix.
Serve with dosas of your choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
I have used only onions and watermelon rind as the base of the chutney, but you can add in other ingredients of your choice too.
Shallots, garlic cloves and tomatoes are all great choices, and can be added to the chutney. You can also throw in some lightly toasted peanuts to lend the chutney a bit of a nutty flavor.
To make the chutney more earthy and savory in flavor, you can also add some fresh ginger into the mix. 
Your leftover chutney can be refrigerated for up to 5 days when stored correctly in a nice clean container.
The chutney can be enjoyed cold as well. You don’t necessarily need to reheat it.
Tips & Tricks to Make the Watermelon Rind Chutney
Think you are ready to give the recipe a shot? Here are some tips and tricks you might want to take note of.
- I’ve used tamarind pulp to add some sourness and tanginess to the chutney. You can use lemon juice instead if you don’t have the tamarind at hand.
- Vinegar can also be a great addition to the chutney. It can lend that tangy and sour flavor to the chutney.
- In addition to the green chutney, you can also add some red pepper flakes or red chili powder to lend more heat to the chutney.
- Whole black peppercorns can also bring in some earthy heat and flavor to the chutney.
- You can also choose to balance out the tangy and spicy flavor of the chutney by adding some sugar or jaggery into the mix.
- To lend the chutney a bit of a smoky flavor, use mustard oil for the tempering.
- While this watermelon rind chutney tastes best when blended into a smooth mixture, you can also leave it chunky if you want to enjoy some texture.
- Depending on how you would want the texture of the chutney to be, you can add a bit of water to loosen the chutney and get it to the right consistency.
- This chutney, just like most other chutneys, develops flavor when refrigerated overnight, and tastes even better the next day.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
The watermelon rind chutney is super versatile and delicious. You can serve it with any of your main Indian dishes or team it up with dosa or any other fried snacks of your choice.
It can taste great with fritters or any air fried or deep fried snacks too.
Love Indian condiments and chutneys? Interested in trying out some more such Indian chutneys? Here are a few handpicked ones you can try out.
📖 Recipe
Watermelon Rind Chutney
Ingredients
Ingredients for the chutney
- ½ tablespoon Oil
- 1 tablespoon Urad dal
- 2 Green chilies
- ¼ cup Onions , (roughly chopped)
- 1 cup Watermelon rind, (chopped)
- ¼ cup Coriander leaves, (roughly chopped)
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Tamarind paste
Ingredients For the tempering
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 1 tablespoon Mustard seeds
- 10 Curry leaves
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan. Add the urad dal and green chilies and saute.
- Next, add the onions, green chilies, and coriander leaves. Saute. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the chopped watermelon rinds next.
- Add the salt next and mix.
- Keep aside and let it cool down to room temperature.
- Transfer the mixture to a blender along with the tamarind paste and blend into a smooth paste. You should be able to make the paste without adding water. If it turns too thick then add 1-2 tablespoon of water.
- Add the tamarind paste and blend it once more.
- Transfer the chutney to a bowl and keep aside.
- Prepare the tempering by heating oil in a small pan and adding the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Once they start to crackle, immediately transfer and pour on top of the chutney. Mix.
- Serve with dosas of your choice.
Leave a Reply