honeydew melon

Honeydew Melon Glossary | Recipes with Honeydew Melon | Tarladalal.com Viewed 18654 times

Description

A honeydew melon has a round to slightly oval shape, typically 15-22 cm (5.9-8.7 in) long. It generally ranges in weight from 1.8 to 3.6 kg (4.0 to 7.9 lb). The flesh is pale green in color, while the smooth peel ranges from greenish to yellow. Like most fruit, honeydew has seeds. Honeydew's thick, juicy, sweet flesh is often eaten for dessert, and is commonly found in supermarkets across the world.When Americans speak of the honeydew melon, they're generally referring to the White Antibes melon, a type of muskmelon, grown in France and throughout the United States.

Several different types of melon can be classed as honeydews. These include the casaba, Persian, and Crenshaw. The inside view of the honeydew melon is undoubtedly attractive. You can merely eat the honeydew in slices, since it has a sweet and mild, melon flavor, or it can be cut into cubes to add to salads. Since there are few truly green fruits, the aesthetic quality of honeydew shouldn't be underestimated. It tastes good or better than it looks, slightly reminiscent of cucumbers but much sweeter.

Chopped honeydew melon
Refers to the finely chopped or roughly chopped plum tomatoes They may be chopped with and without peel as per recipe requirements. Another interesting way of chopping plum tomatoes would be to chop into big chunks or quarters.
Honeydew melon cubes
Remove the outer rind and take out the fleshy interiors. Deseed the melon and place the melon on the chopping board. Cut the melon into small cubes with a sharp chopping knife and relish them as fresh fruit or a dessert.
Honeydew melon puree
After peeling the papaya, section it into half and chop it into pieces using a sharp knife. Blend it into the grinder till it forms a thick and smooth paste. Water is not required to grind but can be added later to thin the consistency.

How to select

The honeydew melon should be almost perfectly round with a smooth, waxy white skin. The white can be slightly tinged with green, but should not be completely green. The rind should never be fuzzy, and you should avoid melons that have brown spots. When you pick up a honeydew melon it should feel heavy, representing the density of the melon's inner flesh. It shouldn't feel completely hard on the outside, but the exterior should only barely yield to pressure from the hands. Look for an average sized honeydew melon that weighs about 5 pounds (2.27kg).

Culinary Uses

· The green, sugary and fragrant flesh makes this fruit popular both as a dessert or main course.
· Top melon slices with yogurt and chopped mint.
· Add melon puree with peeled peaches for a healthy cold soup.
· Enjoy the cubes in a fruit salad, with fresh cream or as a topping on icecream.

How to store

It keeps well when stored in a cool, dry place and ripens after several days in a warm room. Be sure to refrigerate the honeydew melons immediately after cutting.

Health benefits

· Honeydew melon has some nutritional value, especially in its Vitamin C content. To boost the nutritional offering, pair honeydew melon with cantaloupe, an orange-fleshed melon that has high levels of Vitamin A.
· Honeydew melons are a source of poly phenol antioxidants,
· They are an excellent source of vitamin A and is also a very good source of potassium and a good source of dietary fibre, vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B6 and folate
· It is no wonder that the honeydew melon with its refreshingly rich flavour and aroma and minimal number of calories is one of the most popular variety of melon.