"Melon" or Rockmelon/Cantaloupe Drink
Preparation time: 5 minutes plus overnight steeping time
- 1 rockmelon/cantaloupe
- 750ml/3 cups water
- Melon scraper tool or fork*
- 2 tablespoons honey or icing sugar (or sweetener of your choice)
*Melon scraper tools can be found at Filipino stores. I rang around to a dozen in Sydney and most of them were sold out except for Masagana Oriental Variety Store at 13 Charlotte St, Ashfield NSW, phone:(02) 9798 2932. They are $2.50 each and really worth buying because it makes the whole process a breeze! My Microplane ribbon grater also worked but it took longer and wasn't as fun. I found that a citrus zester didn't work and a spiraliser made it a bit mushy.
Step 1 - Cut rockmelon in half. Scrape out the seeds and all of the soft, sweet membrane and place in a fine sieve set over a large bowl. You want to scoop out every bit of the soft membrane flesh as the scraper cannot scrape soft flesh into ribbons. Pour half of the water over the membrane and seeds - you want to "wash" the seeds and membrane with your hands or a spoon. Keep adding water and squeezing it until what mostly remains is the seeds.
Step 2 - Use the ribboning tool to scrape the orange flesh. Do not use the green flesh as this is bitter. Place the ribbons into the bowl along with the rockmelon water. Add the sweetener (I used honey) and stir well. Refrigerate at least overnight (please don't be tempted to drink it now, it really is a pale imitation of itself at this stage and needs time to develop sweetness and color). It is best served as chilled as possible.
Tip: Can be made with honeydew melon too