Here is another ridiculously easy treat!
While I have gushed over simple dehydrated fruits and veggies before, here I am raving about dried…… wait for it…. watermelon!
I usually don’t like to play guessing games with my food. However, I had fun sharing it at work, letting people tell me what they thought. First yay or nay. I had 90% yay. Then I let them guess what they were eating. Not a single person guessed watermelon. I had a lot of votes for pepper (due to the seeds, methinks) and other fruit due to the sweetness. Lisa described them as bubble gum which comes from the sticky sweet consistency. But once I let out the watermelon secret, you can catch a glimpse of flavour in the background. Isn’t it funny how fickle our tastebuds can be?
It is certainly the special texture of the dried watermelon that I adored. Chewy and sweet. I made version plain and also salted with and without chile flakes. With a combination of hot-salty-sweet, the salted chile flake version was my favourite. Rob concurred. Rob mused it would be eerily similar to jerky if we added liquid smoke. Not that I know what jerky tastes like, though. 😉
I just realized that not only are simple recipes easier to make, but they are also a lot easier to type up afterwards. Enjoy! 🙂
This is my submission to this week’s Raw Food Thursdays and to this month’s Bookmarked Recipes.
Raw Watermelon Candy
Inspired by Vegan Lisa
watermelon, chopped into cubes or 0.5-cm slabs
salt, to taste (optional but REALLY GOOD)
chile flakes, to taste (optional but REALLY GOOD)
1. Chop watermelon and sprinkle with salt and/or chile flakes. Spread on a mesh-lined dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 135F for 12-18 hours, until dry and chewy.
the taste space 
Sounds interesting! What type of dehydrator do you recommend? We’re in the market for one!
Thanks! It depends what you want to make and your budget. I’d recommend something similar to Excalibur (which is what I have) since they have flat sheets so you can make wraps, etc, instead of the round ones with the knob in the middle. I heard there was a jerky maker that was essentially the same but a lot cheaper but I can’t remember what it was called. Not sure that helps, sorry.
We’ve been wanting to dehydrate some fruit. (A friend gave me some dried fruit leather from her homegrown figs—not had that yet.) Wasn’t sure which one to start with.
Have been wanting to buy a whole watermelon, but her fridge is always too full to accommodate one.
So—with this little invention of yours, you have created the perfect opportunity for me to do both things!
Funny how I used to think watermelon was kind of worthless nutritionally (thought it was just a bunch of water); now I know better.
Googling watermelon fruit leather, people have done it successfully. Only YOU thought to ramp it up with salt and chile! One person mentioned possibly putting on pink Himalayan salt in the future. One person mentioned lime/salt/chile, but it was on nondried watermelon.
I shouldn’t be thinking about this now—am fasting for an A1C blood test……looking at the photo probably spiked my blood sugar!
Haha, you are too funny. Definitely give it a go. I think I was most surprised about the texture which is why I had to blog about it right away, while watermelons are still out there. I don’t buy them often either, but I love cold watermelons after long cycle rides. We also like apple chips but we’ll have to see what the apple supply is like here. Also, my beet chips are possibly my favourite dehydrated chip. 🙂
Loved this! But a friend asked, “Why would you want to dry watermelon?” I didn’t have a good answer, other than, “something different. More portable.”
What would your response be?
Sounds like a great reason. I actually don’t eat watermelon that often and it can be hard to eat a whole one by myself… so this makes it way easier to get through a whole watermelon… and to be honest, I think I preferred the dried stuff better. (Although cold watermelon after a long cycle is really nice)
I thought that was beef jerky at first, ha ha. 🙂 Who knew watermelon would dehydrate so nicely? I figured it would be too watery. Looks great!
Wow, this is brilliant — reminds me of chili-spiced watermelon from the street carts in India. What an excellent idea to dry it. Now I really can’t wait until my dehydrator comes… ordered it this week. 🙂
What fun. Can’t wait to see your delicious dehydrated snacks. I have seen chile-spiced mango in Colombia but fresh watermelon sounds like an interesting twist, too. 🙂
Ahh!! As soon as I saw the name of this in my reader, I knew it was going to have been inspired by my beloved Lisa! Makes me so happy 🙂
they look so funny…. almost like raw meat/jerky… haha
I’m so glad you gave it a try – and shared it with friends! Such food fun.
I would have thought that watermelon is WAY too watery to dehydrate! So cool!
the watermelon must take a really long time to dehydrate. they do look cool though 🙂
yup – I just wrote out a horrendously long recipe tonight – glad I didn’t have to guess what it was – looked like raw meat upon first seeing it – but I love the sound of watermelon candy
Funny you say it looks like meat. I had someone (almost) refuse because they explained they were vegetarian. I told them not to worry – no meat here. 😉
Wise words- short recipe = easy blogging, my favourite 😉 Love this idea! Must pick up some watermelon before it gets super expensive again!
Exactly. I don’t get watermelon often…. but when it is the summer blow out sales, I cannot resist. A big one is so hard to eat solo, so this was perfect. 🙂
[…] Watermelon — yes, watermelon — fruit leather. With salt! And chile flakes! […]
[…] Watermelon — yes, watermelon — fruit leather. With salt! And chile flakes! […]
Seriously brilliant!!! I know I would love this. Buying watermelon before it’s gone for the season! I noticed the chunks were looking a little orangey instead of read at the store yesterday so I didn’t buy them. Thanks for sharing at Raw Foods Thursdays. I already know I’ll be highlighting this next week! 🙂
Thanks, Heather. Definitely try it out before the watermelons disappear! I think you will really like it 🙂
They’re in the dehydrator! 🙂
Awesome!! 🙂
[…] Raw Watermelon Candy […]
[…] Raw Watermelon Candy from Janet @ the taste space […]
[…] 2. Raw Watermelon Candy from The Taste Space: […]
[…] Raw Watermelon Candy by Janet of The Taste Space […]
[…] we did not use liquid smoke nor maple syrup. It must be something about sweet, chewy things that reminds us of bacon. In this case, I think it was the caramel undertones from the pan-roasted […]
[…] know I said I don’t like to play food guessing games with others. However, Rob is fair game. He gets it […]
[…] you think this blog is only made up of Asian and Southeast Asian/Indian, or ridiculously easy treats, sometimes it is nice to branch out a bit. Branch out into fancy foods, even if Rob is […]
[…] Raw Watermelon Candy […]
[…] awesome home made sugar free fruit role ups are! Try out some of my favorites! Mango, Strawberry, Watermelon Candy or Roll Ups, and peach to just name a […]