Deep fried watermelon slices may sound weird to a lot of people who have never had one of these sweet and indulgent treats before. Who can blame them when watermelon is traditionally eaten in wedges and not when covered in batter?
But a lot of Americans crave for this dish all-year long. This makes it a fair and carnival classic, giving the dish a nostalgic and traditional charm.
Compared to those concoctions, deep fried watermelon seems downright logical.
You don’t have to go to a town fair to enjoy this treat though. If you’ve got a party (or just a hankering for it), you can always just whip some up yourself! Each serving gives you 136 calories and just 1g of fat, with 3g of protein and 30g of carbs.
Quick Ingredients:
½ cup of cornstarch
¾ cup of all-purpose flour
2 egg whites, beaten
2 teaspoons of water
3 cups vegetable oil (or canola oil, for deep-frying)
6 to 8 pounds of seedless watermelon
Garnish: powdered sugar
Easy Steps:
- Cut the watermelon in half lengthwise, then cut each half again lengthwise into two pieces. You should end up with4 long sections shaped like triangles.
- Run your knife in between the white layer and the red flesh toremove the rinds from each section. Try to keep the knife level along that line.
- Get rid of the rind and then cut the watermelon meat into 1-inch thick slices. Then cut the flesh into roughly 1-inch triangles. This isn’t going to be an exact science, so do not worry if you have weird shapes.)
- Heat the oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees.
- Whisk the cornstarch in a bowl with the egg whites and water until combined.
- Place the flour in a bowl and set next to the cornstarch mixture near the hot oil.
- Dredge the watermelon chunks in the flour, and then coat with the cornstarch batter.
- Carefully drop into the oil and deep-fry in batches without crowding the pan.Leave room in between pieces so they can properly brown. Cook until the watermelon chunks are golden.
- Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon, and drain well on a paper-towel-lined plate.
- Sprinkle deep-fried watermelon with a dusting of powdered confectioners’ sugar and serve warm.
Health Benefits of Deep Fried Watermelon:
Watermelons are most popularly enjoyed in the summer for their refreshing taste. How can it not quench your thirst and help you cool off when it’s 92% water, right?
Despite this fact, however, it’s still packed with nutrients. This makes it an excellent snack to enjoy all the time, especially since it’s available in most areas all0year long anyway.
What are the health benefits of watermelons? Here are a few that you should try to enjoy right away:
1. It’s loaded with lycopene.
Lycopene is a potent antioxidant that can do a lot of things to help improve your health. It’s beneficial for your heart health, can reduce your cancer risks, keeps your bones strong, and even helps keep your eyesight in great condition just to name a few. The red coloring of watermelon gives it a good dose of this nutrient.
2. It can help keep you hydrated.
As mentioned above, this fruit is mostly made of water, so by consuming more of it, you’ll be getting more fluids inside your body.
This will help you stay hydrated without having to drink water all the time. So if you’re often bored with drinking water, you can also opt to eat some of this fruit and you’ll be good to go.
3. It’s good for your skin and hair.
Aside from the hydration it brings, this fruit also contains a decent amount of vitamins A and C which are both useful in nourishing your skin and hair.
You might lose some of the watermelon’s nutrients in the process of deep frying but then again you do get to enjoy its special taste. It’s the taste of fairs and carnivals, and having a good time.
