This article was automatically translated from the original Turkish version.

Stuffed Melon

Watermelon dolması is one of the flavors of Ottoman cuisine and exemplifies the tradition of fruit-based meat dishes. It is prepared by stuffing a melon. Unripe, semi-raw melons are preferred for stuffing. It was served during the circumcision ceremony of Sultan Süleyman Sultan Süleyman’s sons Shah Cihangir and Beyazıt circumcision in the pot ritual.

The name and recipe of this dish also appear in historical sources. One such source is a work written by Mehmet Kamil in the 19th century.

“Tarîk-i tabhı: Cut a sweet melon at the stem end, remove the seeds and clean out the interior. Finely chop one or two onions and sauté them with a spoonful of plain lamb mince according to method. Add a cup of washed rice in sufficient quantity along with salt, pepper, almonds, pistachios, and raisins. Stir several times, remove from heat, and fill the prepared melon with this mixture. Replace the cut-off cap and secure it with several toothpicks. Bake in an oven or on a sahan until perfectly cooked. It becomes extremely delicious. This mixture can also be stuffed into pumpkins; if the pumpkin is tasteless, add a cup of grape molasses as well, which imparts another flavor.” ^【1】

(Kavun dolması, Türkiye Culture Portalı)

The slightly sweet taste of the melon complements the savory meat filling, creating a harmonious balance.

Ingredients

50 g rice
30 g raisins
1 small unripe melon
200 g lamb mince
50 g butter
2 medium onions
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
30 g almonds, peeled and toasted
30 g shelled pistachios, toasted

Preparation

Rice is rinsed with enough water to cover it. Wash it three to four times without breaking the grains until the starchy water runs clear. Finally, let it soak in water for about 20 minute minutes, then rinse and drain. Raisins are also soaked in water. The melons are cut at the top to form a lid, and the seeds are carefully removed with a small amount of flesh. The mince is sautéed in a pan with butter and onions. Once cooked, the rice is added to the mince. Cooking continues until the rice and mixture soften. Then, Onion, spice, salt, sugar, almonds, and pistachios are added. This filling is then used to stuff the melon. The lid is secured with toothpicks and baked in an oven at 200 degrees for approximately 40 to 50 minutes. After letting it rest for five minutes, the toothpicks are removed and it is service.