I dare say, I have never met someone who doesn’t like watermelon.

It’s an iconic hot-weather fruit; best enjoyed outdoors, by the pool, on holiday – and once in our case, on the sidewalks of Rome to cool down and rehydrate during a truly sweltering summer day. In my view, the perfect slice of watermelon has come straight from the fridge and is at the point of ripeness when it is still crunchy but *just* starting to go floury, and is therefore both super-sweet and refreshing.

Why do we all love watermelon so much? Perhaps it’s the pleasure sinking one’s teeth into crisp crimson flesh to be met with a generous burst of juice. Or maybe it’s the fun of chomping into a big ol’ wedge and getting juice all over your cheeks. Whatever it is, there’s something pretty special about this tropical pink delight.

But there’s another part of the watermelon that we love too, the part that usually gets promptly tossed into the bin after the fleshy bit has been devoured. While the white rind is usually the endpoint of eating, it is actually a real gem worth keeping. The rind has long been used in Chinese recipes because when it is cooked, it has a lovely silky texture whilst still retaining an al dente bite.

When we were kids, Mum’s favourite way of using up the rinds was to add it to broths. Aside from being delicious, the rinds are full of nutritional goodness.

Today we’re sharing our recipe for a watermelon rind stir-fry, which is our favourite way to have it. Paired with simple seasonings, sliced pork and spring onions, stir-fried watermelon rind makes a terrifically easy, quick and economical mid-week meal.