‘Suika-no-hi’ (スイカの日) Watermelon Day.

Celebrated every year on the 27th of July. This is because the Japanese characters for 27 and 7 can be read as rope, which is a word used to describe the vertical lines on a watermelon.

This refreshing fruit is much a symbol of Japanese summertime as is fireworks and yukata. When they come into season from June onwards, watermelons (suika in Japanese) make for the perfect summertime thirst quencher.

Unlike in the west fruit in Japan is considered a luxury item. Japanese fruit farmers strive for the very best fruit removing any bad or misshapen ones thus increasing the price. You may have seen fruit in luxury department stores all individually and carefully wrapped in presentation boxes, as people in Japan consider fruit a thoughtful and luxurious gift.

The watermelon in Japan became popular with farmers growing them in square containers to make square watermelons that were easier to fit in the fridge. This however was not a fruit of convenience but another fruit of luxury with a regular sized fruit costing at least 10,000 yen and even some on the first day of harvest fetching  350,000 yen a piece at auction.

You may of seen my previous post about seasonal cards given over the summer to wish people well, known as Shochu mimai 暑中見舞い. There is also a custom of giving gifts to people who you feel have helped you over the first half of the year. These gifts are called ochugen (お中元). A gift over the summer of fruit is always popular in Japan and I think a nice custom that we could carry forward into our everyday lives. It could have been a considerate neighbour or a friend that has helped you or maybe a teacher. No matter how small I think it might be nice to show appreciation, and I can think of no nicer way than with these watermelon jelly/sorbet wagashi from Minamoto Kitchoan. www.kitchoan.co.uk

They are a suika jelly made in Japan that can be frozen to turn into a refreshing sorbet.

They come in singles or in a box and can be bought mail order or from one of their many shops all over the world . They also do lots of other beautifully presented Japanese wagashi that make a perfect gift.

Anyway back to the more humble regular watermelon.

On ‘Suika-no-hi’ in Japan it maybe custom to head off to the beach with family and friends to partake in suikawari (watermelon smashing) a game much like Mexican piñata.

The player is blindfolded, armed with a stick or bokken 木刀, (A Japanese wooden sword used for training in kenjutsu,) to strike the watermelon with. The player is turned around three times and let loose to find a watermelon lying on the ground on a plastic sheeting. According to the regulations, the distance between the smasher and the watermelon must be between 5 and 7 meters. The rest of the participants shout to guide the player with the stick towards the melon. If the player doesn’t manage to break the watermelon within three minutes, the turn can go to another person to have a go. The first to crack the watermelon open wins. The watermelon can then be shared amongst the players.

Loved for their succulent flesh and hydrating properties the watermelon has become synonymous with Japanese summertime. As well as keeping you hydrated, watermelon provide a natural source of vitamins A and C. Other vitamins and minerals in watermelon include magnesium, potassium, zinc and vitamins B6. Studies suggest watermelon may even boost heart health, reduce muscle soreness, and decrease inflammation.

Watermelons are incredibly versatile in the kitchen working well in savoury and sweet dishes from smoothies and salsa as well as making a delicious salad with maybe some cubes of tofu and mint.

But today I’m going to be using the whole of the fruit to make two very Japanese style recipes.

The first is watermelon sashimi, where we are going to roast the watermelon into something replicating a tuna steak.

You will need x1 mini watermelon (you don’t want one too big as it will be hard to roast so the mini variety is perfect.

Cut the rind from the watermelon and put this to one side in the fridge you’re going to be using this in recipe two.

Place a piece of parchment paper in a roasting dish and place your watermelon in the dish in a moderate oven 180–190 °C Gas Mark 4-5, to slowly roast for 2-21/2 hours turning every half an hour. It may take up to 3 hours depending how big your watermelon is.

Now make your marinade while the watermelon is roasting.

Blend 3/4 cup of tamari, 1/2 inch of grated ginger, x1 teaspoon of white miso paste, x2 tablespoons of sesame paste, juice of x1 lime, x1 teaspoon of tomato puree, x1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil and a sprinkle of aonori (dried green seaweed).

Remove the roasted watermelon from the oven it may look charred around the edges but it’s supposed to look like that, the sugar in the watermelon will have turned into a remarkable caramelised texture. Now brush the marinade over the watermelon. Pop the marinated watermelon back in the oven for 15 minutes. This is also perfect to add to a bbq for an extra smokey flavour.

Then remove and leave to cool for a few hours, cover with a dish and leave overnight in the fridge to really soak up all those umami flavours. Remove from the fridge and tip out any juices that may have come out of the watermelon overnight.

When ready to cut slice diagonally to create even pieces of watermelon sashimi.

You could make  Nigiri-zushi “hand pressed sushi” which is a typical Japanese dish consisting of an oval-shaped mound of vinegared rice with a slice of (usually) raw fish on top.

You can use the watermelon sashimi for this or make your own mock tuna sashimi donburi known as Tekkadon (鉄火丼). Just add some sliced shiso leaves chopped green onion some Japanese pickled sushi ginger “Beni Shoga”  (紅生姜) a squeeze of lime and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Or a take on a poke bowl with rice watermelon tuna and slices of avocado, edamame beans and chunks of juicy mango.

You could even use it in sushi rolls.

Im sure this mock tuna steak could become a Japanese summer vegan staple and a fabulous addition to any summertime party you might be holding.

The second is using the rind from the watermelon to make Suika no Tsukemono スイカの漬物, Japanese Pickled Watermelon Rind.

Watermelon rinds are edible and nutritious and have even more potassium and fibre than the flesh! Helping to work with sodium to balance the fluid and electrolytes in the body.

This is a perfect embodiment of the shojin ryouri food philosophy of “Mottainai”もったいない or 勿体無い which translates to, ‘What a waste!’ or closely mirroring the old saying, “Waste not, want not.” Thus using the same ingredients with different recipes so as not to waste anything. I have another blog post where I talk about Ichi Motsu Zen Shoku, which is the use of using a vegetable in its entirety and Kondate-Zukushi a culinary practice of making an entire meal from one single ingredient. If you’re interested in further reading please check out my blog post  (Japanese thanksgiving).

Suika no Tsukemono

Take the rind you have removed from the watermelon and using a vegetable peeler peel off the hard green outer skin leaving the paler green and a bit of pink flesh. Slice the rind into strips around as evenly as possible, about 1 and a 1/2 inches in length and about 1/4 inch thick.

Place the rinds in a  re-sealable bag with the 1/2 a teaspoon of salt, gently rub to distribute and reseal the bag leaving in the fridge for a few hours. Make your marinade.

Marinade

1/2 teaspoon ginger juice, extracted from freshly grated ginger

2 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar

2-inch piece kombu (kelp), cut into strips

1 tablespoon of granulated sugar

1 tablespoon of tamari or soy sauce

2 or 3 peppercorns

Whisk the ingredients for the marinade together in a bowl. Remove the bag with the salted rinds from the fridge and pour out any liquid. Pour in your marinade and gently rub and toss the rinds to evenly spread the sauce.
Press out any excess air, seal the bag, and refrigerate preferably over night. After this time remove the kombu slithers.

They are best eaten the next day when the colour is vibrant.

Serve with a sprinkle of sesame seeds or for a bit of heat, add a drizzle of chili oil.

Japanese pickles (漬物, tsukemono) are an important part of the Japanese diet, served with practically every traditional meal alongside rice and miso soup. They are valued for their unique flavors and commonly used as a garnish, relish, condiment, palate cleanser aiding in digestion.

I hope that you will enjoy both of these recipes not just on a day dedicated to watermelon but the whole summer long.