Indian summers are always hot. The only difference across the country is is how hot it actually gets. If you live along the coast, then the high humidity coupled with the heats makes it hot, sweaty and sticky! So anything that beats the heat is always welcome, preferably chilled. A staple in my home during the summer is my version of Chilled Watermelon Juice.
Summer is the season for mangoes. Its is also the season for various varieties of thirst quenching cucumbers, musambi (sweet lime), and watermelons. We get a few varieties of watermelon here. One is a lighter green striated watermelon that is a medium shade of pink on the inside. Another is a darker green watermelon which is almost ruby red colour inside. These two are the sweetest of the lot. A yellow watermelon that is lighter pink inside is not as sweet but still good chilled. Then we have a green watermelon that is yellow on the inside.
Watermelons are everywhere just now. They’re even sold piled in mounds along the roads, in and out of town. You’ll also find vendors who will blend you a tall chilled glass of fresh watermelon juice while you wait.
My favourite way to eat watermelon is as pieces sprinkled with rock salt or “kaala namak or black salt”. If crisp juicy slices of watermelon should begin to feel monotonous, there are other many ways to have your watermelon and eat (or drink) it. Here are a couple of ways we have out watermelons. These recipes are very flexible and you can add or subtract ingredients according to your taste.The easiest way is to blend it into juice. There so many ways to flavour it.
If you want something a little more, then blend the watermelon pieces and freeze it ill just set. Serve it as a Watermelon Slush. Freeze it a little further and you can have Watermelon Granita. If want to take this further, make a Watermelon Gazpacho.
I don’t like ice cubes in my cold drinks as they tend to melt and turn the drinks watery. So I chill the watermelon chunks and then blend them. The juice can be served almost immediately, without ice. The flavours are very fresh which would be the best way to serve this.
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 4 serving | 20 minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 10 minutes |
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Chilled watermelon blended with sweet lime, lime, honey and ginger, and a sprinkle of chaat masala makes this juice a good way to beat the heat of the Indian summer.
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- half medium to large fresh water melon cut into chunks
- 1 sweet lime (musambi) juice of
- 1/2 lemon juice of
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 1/2 tsps fresh ginger juice
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp chaat masala (optional)
- Put the chilled watermelon chunks and all the other ingredients into the blender jar and blend till smooth.
- If you do not like the grainy texture of mixture, strain and serve. I prefer to keep it as it is. Do add sugar if you feel your watermelon isn't sweet enough. Pour into tall glasses and serve garnished with mint.
- If you prefer ice in your cold drinks, adding ice to these watermelon coolers only dilutes them and makes them taste awful. Here are two suggestions to overcome this. You can pour out a couple of glasses of the watermelon concoction into ice trays and freeze them for use in these, instead of ice.
- You can also chill the watermelon cooler in the freezer for about halfan hour to an hour till the top layer just freezes. Break this layer, mix and serve this slush-like mixture.
I'm Aparna and My Diverse Kitchen is my ovo-lacto vegetarian food blog where you'll find recipes, food stories & photography. I've been blogging since 2007 and believe the kitchen, and the dining table (by extension) is really the heart of a home. 
Wow watermelon soup looks very delicious, apt for summer 🙂
Sounds like watermelon gaspacho! Delicious looking!
Hi Aparna,That’s a lot of thngs to do with watermelons 🙂 chillers of any kind in summer is a grand welcome. Have a happy satisfying break 🙂 will see u soon.Have a safe journey to and fro.TC
Looks great!Seeds are indeed a nuisance. What I do is try and look out for those small chinese watermelons (that’s what my supermarket calls them). They have practically no seeds.Enjoy your trip. Eat lots and have fun 🙂
Enjoy the trip.Love the granita or gazpacho .Perfect summer treat. again.
Perfect treats for summer!
Like the version with the ginger, made watermelon juice with ginger for MBP once.
Liked the straw in the first pic. Nice presentation.How i wish we get the seedless variety of watermelons here.
perfect for summer 🙂
Gorgeous drink and granita, prefect for hot summer..
too funny, i was just contemplating on making some kind of a watermelon drink/shake since i have one sitting on my fridge..and then I see your blog.. could it be a sign? lol. your additon of ginger juice is interesting.. hmmnnn..
Delectable and refreshing… nice color and I am so craving to have some now…
I am taking all of it:-D we are just waiting for the heat to shoot for the watermelons. I remember my mom would scoop out the reds inside the shell, put everything inside & let it sit for a few hrs. & then blend it.
Oh look at those wonderful colors. I am sure it tastes as good as it looks. I will sure try this.
Wow!! This is the first time I hear about watermelor soup 🙂 interesting!! Let me try this week.
slurp. i have a nit to pick. you forgot to add the tequila. 😀
I simply love watermelon juice, a glass like the one in your pic. But I like it simple nothing in it but watermelon 😀
Thanks, and it is delicious.Ture Cham. Definitely another gazpacho.Simran, unfortunately the watermelon I get has lots of seed. :(I liked the ginger version better too, Sra.I think it must be a sign, Jescel! :)You’ll have fun with this, if you like watermelon, Indymoney.Bee, unfortunately this happens to be alcohol-free zone though we live in feni country! :DSandeepa, we like that version best but this isn’t too far behind.
Gorgeous drink and soup Aparna! Have a good trip and see back here soon.Apologies for not calling by earlier due to my back circumstances. Rosie x
Great ideas for using watermelon Aparna. Love the color!
Mmmm..they sound delicious. I esp. like the ginger and watermelon together. No musambi here 🙁
Wow thats looking so deicious nice attracting colour and recipe.
This sounds like such a refreshing drink, Aparna. How do you make fresh ginger juice?
Barbara, you need to cut a bit of fresh ginger into small chunks (add 1 tsp water) and crush them (I use my mortar and pestle) well. Then using your fingers, press out the juice from the crushed ginger.Otherwise, you can use about 2 tsps ginger paste instead, but you will not get quite the same flavour as with the juice.
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Perfect for summer!
wow..i love water melon..prefect for summer…
Hey, nice blog! Love the look of your baked goodies.
I’m liking those little watermelon sticks for stirring. Sounds very refreshing.
Absolutely gorgeous!!
Hello Aparna,Hearty greeting and a prize Butterfly Award!Herehttp://trydiani.blogspot.com/2…Congratulations!
Lovely blog, excellent recipes, very nice photography and presentation. Just loved it.
Thank you Parita and Di_ani for the awards.Thanks to you tooo, Saee and A2Z for your kind comments about my blog. 🙂