Watermelon agar jelly
Fresh watermelon juice set with agar into glistening jelly cubes — clean, sweet and refreshing, with no oven needed, and a neat way to soothe dryness on hot days.
- 25 min
- Serves 4
- Set
- Easy
Why it suits you: Yang energy peaks at the Summer Solstice. A Yin-deficient constitution is already short of body fluids, and heat and sweating bring a dry mouth, restlessness and poor sleep. Watermelon, nicknamed nature's White Tiger decoction, clears heat and generates fluids; set as jelly it is easy to portion, so you quench your thirst without overdoing cold food.
Method
Prep 15 min · Cook 10 min- 1Blend the deseeded watermelon and sieve it; you should have about 400 ml of juice.
- 2Whisk the agar into the water in a pan, bring to the boil over low heat and simmer for 2 minutes until fully dissolved, then stir in the rock sugar until melted.
- 3Off the heat, stir in the watermelon and lemon juice, pour into a mould and leave at room temperature for 30 minutes to set.
- 4Chill for 1 hour, then cut into cubes. Let them stand for a few minutes before eating rather than serving them fridge-cold.
Cautions
- Cooling: two or three pieces is plenty. Eat less if you have loose stools, are on your period or your digestion runs cold.
Chef's tips
- Don't boil the watermelon juice with the agar; adding it off the heat keeps its fresh flavour and colour.
The TCM view
Watermelon is sweet and cold, clearing heat, relieving summer heat, generating fluids and promoting urination. Agar is sweet and cold, clearing heat and moistening dryness; rock sugar moistens the lungs. Together they clear heat, nourish yin and ease thirst and restlessness, suiting a Yin-deficient constitution in summer — but they are cooling, so keep portions modest.
