Glyko Karpouzi - Watermelon Spoon Sweet

INGREDIENTS
500g watermelon rind, peeled and cut into 4-5cm pieces with some of the red fruit left on
10g pickling lime / food-grade calcium hydroxide powder
125ml cup lemon juice
1-2 cups ice cubes
Syrup
500g caster sugar
250ml water
2 teaspoons vanilla sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

METHOD

In a large bowl, dissolve the pickling lime in 3-4 cups of water. Submerge the watermelon rind pieces in the lime water mixture, ensuring they are fully covered with water. Let soak for 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent settling.

After soaking, rinse the watermelon rind thoroughly under cold water to remove any excess lime residue.

Place the rinsed rind pieces in a large pot and cover with fresh water. Bring to a vigorous boil for 10 minutes to remove any impurities. Drain the watermelon rind in a colander.

Return the drained rind to the pot and cover with cold tap water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the rind is tender and can be pierced easily with a toothpick. Once done, drain the rind again and transfer it into a bowl of cold water with ice cubes and lemon juice. Let it cool while you prepare the syrup.

In a deep pot, combine the sugar and water for the syrup over low heat. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Transfer the drained watermelon rind to the sugar syrup mixture. Bring the syrup to a boil over medium heat and cook until it starts to thicken, about 10-15 minutes. Add the vanilla sugar along with the lemon juice.

Allow the mixture to cool in the pot before transferring the fruit and syrup into sterilised jars for storage.

Store in the fridge and serve cold.