A traditional Korean side dish, kimchi has made its way into mainstream culture in a big way! This recipe has been tweaked for the American palate by replacing cabbage with watermelon rind and the removal of fish sauce. You’ll be so glad you tried it!

Serving: 4 side dish sized servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups watermelon rind (white part only, from about 1/2 of a seedless watermelon), all green waxy skin removed
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 bunch chives, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 inch piece of ginger, julienned
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon gochugara (Korean chili flakes)
• tablespoon honey

Instructions

1. Cut the watermelon rind into thin strips about 2 inches long. Place the rind strips in a large bowl and toss with the salt. Let sit for 1 hour.
2. For a less salty kimchi, rinse the rind and dry on paper towels. If you want more salt, no need to rinse. In a large bowl, combine the rind with the chives, ginger, garlic, gochugara (add more or less gochugara depending on how spicy you like it) and honey. Stir to combine.
3. Transfer the kimchi to a jar or another glass container with a tight fitting lid. Leave the kimchi out at room temperature for 2 days, then move to the refrigerator. The kimchi should be ready to use after about 5 days total.

The Author:

Photo and Recipe courtesy of Watermelon.org