Fresh Melon Juice
آب خربزه
sweetfragranthoneyedcooling
draft — yields to be measured Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| ripe fragrant melon (Persian melon, cantaloupe or honeydew) | 500 g flesh |
Equipment: knife and board, blender, fine sieve, jug.
About this preparation
Iran’s summer melons, kharbozeh, are legendary: long, fragrant melons from Khorasan, Isfahan’s garmak, and the melons of Sistan, where farmers have grown local varieties for generations under the hot wind. On summer evenings Iranians serve chilled melon in wedges, or blend it with ice and a little rose water.
The juice is sweet and perfumed, so drinks made with it need very little added sugar.
How to make it
- Peel and seed the melon; cut the flesh into chunks.
- Blend until smooth.
- Strain through a fine sieve.
- Chill and use the same day.
Yield and storage
- About 200 ml from 500 g flesh.
- Refrigerate and use the same day.
Tips and troubleshooting
- Choose by smell: a ripe melon is fragrant at the stem end and gives slightly when pressed.
- Bland melon: add a squeeze of lime and a little plain syrup to the drink.
- Persian melons are found at Persian and Middle Eastern grocers in summer; cantaloupe is the easiest substitute.
Different concepts of this preparation
1. Fresh melon juice
The recipe above. The house standard.
2. Melon and rose
Blend with a few drops of rose water. A classic Persian summer pairing.
3. Melon and mint
Blend with a few mint leaves for an extra-cool juice.
Allergen note
No common allergens.
Development notes
- Status: draft; record melon variety and sweetness.