Lip Smacking Recipes From Fruit and Vegetable Peels

Fruit and vegetable peels are rich in several nutrients, including fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Peels are often discarded due to preference, habit or in an attempt to reduce exposure to pesticides. However, removing the peels may result in removing one of the most nutrient-rich parts of the plant. Consuming the peel with the pulp can boost your total intake of these nutrients.
If you have a kitchen garden and grow your own fruits and vegetables or can get it from organic food store, you can definitely use the peels for cooking without worrying about the effect of pesticides or else wash the peels thoroughly and use. Either consume the peels along with the pulp or prepare recipes made exclusively using peels.
Orange Peel Curry
Ingredients:

• Finely chopped peels of 2-3 oranges
• 2-3 teaspoon(tsp) ghee
• 1 tsp each mustard seeds, urad dal and cumin seeds
• 2 green chillies, split
• 5-6 curry leaves
• Asafoetida, a pinch
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• Tamarind, lemon sized
• 3 tsp grated jaggery
• 1 tsp each rasam powder and red chilli powder
• Coriander leaves for garnishing
• Salt - to taste
• Water

Method:

• In a small bowl, soak tamarind in water. After it's soaked well, squeeze out tamarind water and keep aside.
• Heat the ghee in a heavy bottomed pan and temper with mustard seeds, urad dal and cumin seeds. When it splutters, add green chillies, curry leaves, asafoetida and turmeric powder. Add chopped orange peel and a little salt and fry for 5-6 minutes.
• Now add tamarind water, jaggery, required amount of salt, rasam powder and red chilli powder. Add some water and close the lid. Keep the flame to medium and allow the peel to cook well. Mix in between.
• Turn off the stove and garnish with finely chopped fresh coriander leaves.

This curry is tangy, spicy, sweet and a little bitter as well. It can be eaten with rice, chapati and dosa. It's a perfect appetizer especially when you have just recovered from an illness which has also affected your taste buds.
Ridge Gourd/Chayote(Chow Chow)/Ash Gourd Peel Chutney
Ingredients:

• 2 cups finely chopped peels of ridge gourd/chayote(chow chow)/ash gourd
• 2 tsp cooking oil
• 1 tsp urad dal
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 3-4 green chillies
• 1 tsp jaggery
• A small piece of tamarind
• 1 cup grated coconut
• Salt - to taste
• Water

Method:

• Heat the oil in a pan, put urad dal and fenugreek seeds and fry till the urad dal turns golden brown.
• Add green chillies and chopped peels and saute till the peels shrinks.
• Add tamarind and coconut and saute for a few minutes until you get the roasted aromas of coconut.
• Turn off the stove and let it cool. Once cooled, add jaggery and salt to the above mixture and grind it to a smooth paste adding a very little water.

This chutney can be served with rice, chapati, dosa and idly.
Water Melon Rind Recipes:
1. Curd Based Curry
Ingredients:

• 3 cups watermelon rind sliced into cubes, green skin removed
• 1 cup grated coconut
• 3 green chillies
• 1 tsp rice
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 cup curd
• Coriander leaves for garnishing
• Salt - to taste
• Water

For Tempering:

• 2 tsp cooking oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 5-6 curry leaves

Method:

• Take a small bowl and soak the rice for 10-15 minutes.
• In a mixer, add coconut, cumin seeds, green chilies, soaked rice and water, grind it to make a thick paste (chutney consistency).
• Cook the water melon rind in a pan with required amount of water and a little salt or pressure cook for 1-2 whistles.
• Now add the grinded mixture to the pan, mix it with the cooked rind cubes, add salt as required and in a medium flame allow it to cook for 10-15 minutes.
• Turn off the stove once the curry is completely cooked.
• For tempering, in a small pan heat the oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add this tadka to the curry.
• Once the curry cools down, add curd.
• Garnish with finely chopped fresh coriander leaves.

Serve this curry with hot rice.

2. Dry Sabzi
Ingredients:

• 3-4 cups water melon rind sliced into cubes, green skin removed
• 2 tsp oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 medium size onions finely sliced
• 1 tomato chopped
• 3-4 slit green chillies
• Salt - to taste
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• Finely chopped coriander leaves
• Water

Method:

• In a pan, heat the oil, add cumin seeds, slit green chillies and sliced onions and saute for few minutes, add tomato and cook until onions and tomato get soft.
• Add sugar, salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste, mix and saute for few seconds.
• Add water melon rind cubes, mix and cook for about two minutes.
• Add about a cup of water and cook until rind is cooked well or pressure cook for 1-2 whistles.
• If there is any water content remaining, cook for about a minute by keeping the lid uncovered.
• Turn off the stove and serve hot garnishing with coriander leaves.

Serve this sabzi with hot chapatis.

3. Dosa(No Fermentation):
Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped watermelon rind, green skin removed
• 2 cups rice
• Salt to taste
• Cooking oil as required
• Water

Method:

• Soak the rice in water for 2 hours.
• In a mixer grinder, grind the rice along with the watermelon rind adding water to make a smooth dosa batter.
• Transfer the batter to a mixing bowl and add some more water.
• The consistency of the batter should be watery.
• Add salt as required.
• Now, heat the dosa tawa on a medium flame, brush it with a little oil, pour a ladle full of dosa batter, pour required amount of oil on the sides and cover it with a lid.
• No need to flip the dosa.
• Once it is completely cooked on both the sides, fold it and take out from the pan, similarly prepare as many dosas as required.

Serve hot dosas with coconut chutney.
Lemon Peel Instant Pickle
Ingredients:

• 1 cup finely chopped lemon peel
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds each
• 5-6 red chillies
• 3 tsp cooking oil
• Salt to taste

Method:

• In a mixer, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and red chillies and prepare a fine powder.
• Heat the oil in a pan, add the chopped lemon peel and fry thoroughly till it shrinks.
• Add the masala powder, salt and close the lid of the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes.
• Turn off the stove.

Serve this instant pickle with curd rice