Jerk Watermelon “Steak” on Sesame “Fried” Rice

Watermelon “steak”? Okay, I know it sounds weird. I can’t begin to tell you how absolutely delicious this is. For those of you who haven’t tried any type of dehydrated or cooked watermelon, make a point to try this ridiculously easy and tasty dish.

When I first saw this on a British cooking show I was quick to look it up. I couldn’t find a raw recipe so like everything else, I adapted it. At first I tried making it in the oven. I wanted to see how the heat changed the structure of the watermelon. At different stages, the texture changed and I realized that doing this as a roast wouldn’t work in the dehydrator at all. It would have to be cut into manageable sized “steaks”.

I’ve been making the seasoning for decades. I learned it from my Scottish/Jamaican neighbor when I lived on 89th Street in NYC. She was an amazing cook and it was so much fun to listen to her curse using Jamaican slang with her heavy Scottish accent and NY inflections.

Having made this several different ways, I’ll stick with the jerk watermelon which was my favorite seasoning. It’s pretty authentic tasting and, like I said, the seasoning is an old standby for me. If you want it really spicy you can add a pinch of ghost salt or scotch bonnet. It’s already pretty spicy, add it at your discretion. I would taste the seasoning first before adding any additional spice to your dish.

Consistency is key. It’s best to keep the steak on the silicone and not turn it over. The watermelon should still be a little firm so it maintains some of the texture. And you want it to maintain a lot of the juicy watermelon taste.

RAW VEGAN RECIPE: Jerk Watermelon “Steak” on Sesame “Fried” Rice

1 piece of watermelon 5-6″ long by 2-3″ wide by 1 1/2-2″ thick

2 tblsp Jerk Spices

Dust watermelon steaks with jerk seasoning. Place on silicone sheet in dehydrator at 115 degrees for 4 hours.

Serve over Sesame “Fried” Rice.

Jerk Spices:

1 tblsp Onion Powder

2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp ground allspice

2 tsp ground pink salt

1 tblsp Garlic Powder

2 tsp ground pepper

1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes

2 tsp dried thyme (or 1 tsp ground)

1/2 tsp ground clove

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp raw sugar

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 tiny pinch ghost salt or ground ghost pepper (optional as it is spicy without it).

Sesame “Fried” Rice

1 cup Forbidden Rice (soaked over night)

2 scallions

5 snow peas sliced diagonally

1 heirloom carrot diced

coconut” bacon” recipe here Bacon, Bacon, Bacon…Well, Not Really Bacon

1 tsp sesame oil

2 tsp raw Shoyu (or to taste)

The rice can be prepared the night before. If your kitchen is warm, it will be ready in about 6-8 hours. 1 cup Forbidden Rice to 2 cups of filtered water. Let it soak in a sealed container overnight in a warm, dark spot. You can sprout this if you want and can find how to here Soaking and Sprouting: Patience is a Virtue . Drain excess water. Put all the remaining ingredients together and sprinkle the coconut “bacon” on last.