Watermelon Rind Gisa: Cook the Pale Inner Peel Like Upo

The pale inner rind of a fresh watermelon can be cooked as a mild vegetable. Kansas State University’s rind guidance identifies this portion after the red flesh and dark-green outer skin are removed. Here it goes into a contemporary onion-tomato gisa, using covered cooking to soften it before excess liquid evaporates. It will have its own texture rather than tasting exactly like upo. Source 1

Trim first, then weigh

For four modest side portions, use 300 g prepared pale rind, one small onion, two small tomatoes, one garlic clove and 1 tablespoon oil. Have 75 ml water available, plus a small pinch of salt and black pepper. The 300 g is weighed after trimming; rind thickness differs between melons, so a whole-fruit weight does not guarantee this yield.

Start with a sound melon. Wash its outside under running water and scrub the firm rind with a clean produce brush before cutting. Keep the knife and board clean. Use rind from a freshly prepared melon or one kept properly refrigerated, not from discarded plates or cut fruit left out through a hot picnic. Source 2

Cook in two stages

1. Remove the tough dark-green outer layer and the remaining red flesh. Cut the pale portion into even strips about 3–5 mm thick, rather than large dense cubes.
2. Slice the onion, mince the garlic and chop the tomatoes. Warm the oil and soften the onion, then stir in the garlic briefly.
3. Add the tomatoes and cook until they form a moist base.
4. Add the rind and 30 ml of the water. Cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally. Begin checking after about 8 minutes; add more of the reserved water only if the pan is becoming dry before the rind softens.
5. Test a strip with a fork. When tender to the bite, uncover and allow excess juice to evaporate without scorching the tomatoes.
6. Season lightly and serve as a side with rice and the rest of the meal. A little calamansi at the table is optional if you want a sharper finish.

Keep the seasoning in proportion

The rind is mild, so it can be overwhelmed by salty sauces. Taste the tomato base and a piece of rind together before adjusting salt. For a related dish using actual bottle gourd, ginisang upo with shrimp supplies a separate recipe and seafood seasoning route.

If the first batch is too firm, cut the next strips thinner or extend the covered stage. If it is watery, finish uncovered after tenderness is reached. Adding all 75 ml water at the start may be unnecessary because the rind and tomatoes release their own liquid.

Preparation and storage

The advice on washing market vegetables explains the same clean-water and separate-board principles used here. Refrigerate cooked extras in shallow portions within two hours, or one hour above 32°C, and keep them at 4°C or below. Reusing an edible part of fresh produce does not extend its safe time at room temperature. Source 2 Source 3