Horned Melons
September 3rd, 2005
For years, I’ve passed these bright orange, spikey, foot-ball shaped fruits in the grocery store. Today, I decided it was time to satiate my curiousity. Next to the mushroom display was a pile of 3 or 4 of the little alien-looking fruits, each one wearing a white sticker that said “HORNED MELON”. I picked one off the shelf, squeezed it a little in my hands, and put in the shopping cart.
“Horned melons” are also known as kiwanos. They are native to Africa but are also being grown in Australia, New Zealand, and California. Slicing the orange pod open revealed grass green “flesh”–a bunch of seeds covered in squishy, translucent membrane (like tomato seeds). When I squeezed one of the halves, the seeds came spurting out, along with this foamy, slimey green juice. Surely, I thought, with such delightful colors and textures, the kiwano would be a total taste sensation as well.
Wrong. Horned melon tastes kind of like a cucumber–which is to say, it’s really bland. Not sweet, not salty, just kind of squishy-chewy and devoid of flavor. In short, horned melons are a lot more fun to play with than actually eat. As it turns out, they’re not even meant for eating, according to one website I found: “The fruit pulp can be strained to make a juice. The primary marketing thrust, however, is to sell the fruit for garnishes or decorative purposes.”
Har har. Real funny now that I’ve bought this thing and gleefully squeezed it seeds all over the counter. After some Google searching, I found 2 recipes using horned melon: Grilled Beef with Horned Melon Sauce courtsey of Sara Moulton from the Food Network and Kiwano Melon Vinaigrette from Melissa’s Produce. I made the vinaigrette and it was not bad, though I recommend adding tbsp of vinegar to perk up the flavors. I can’t really taste the horned melon in the dressing, but then again, I couldn’t really taste the horned melon in the first place.
Kiwano Melon Vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons Kiwano/Horned Melon Juice
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon rice wine or red wine vinegar
Process all ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth. Makes 3/4 cup.
