Watermelon Rind Pickles

If there's anything I've ever made that makes me feel frugal, it's this: pickled watermelon rinds. When you think about it, it's not as weird as it sounds, for it is edible and it's a shame to throw away food, right? Most people don't even think about eating this part of the watermelon, but I guess it's pretty common in other parts of the country and the world, for that matter. Most recipes I saw contained cinnamon and cloves. That just sounded gross. So I went with the Japanese version: just some salt, dried kombu, and yuzu (a lemon-like fruit) juice. I tossed the rinds with some salt and massaged them in, added the kombu and yuzu and put it in my japanese pickle maker, a plastic container with a spring-loaded dish that puts pressure on the pickles and helps extract the juices, creating a mild brine. Click here for a visual. Leave for 12-24 hrs, then take out and refrigerate. The final product: crunchy and edible (^_^) and not bad at all. Abby likes it so she helps me eat them. Good with a little soy sauce. Next time, I'll try the nuka (soy bran) pickles.