Turn your peels of fruits & veggies into these delicious dishes!

 

What if you could make a delicious dish from the peels that otherwise end up in the bin?

 

Sounds amazing, right?  

 

Well, it is possible!

 

Composting is one of the ways to put fruit & vegetable peels to best use. However, if cooking is your passion & you love trying out new dishes, this might be the best way to reduce waste. We will share with you some dishes that can be made with the help of peels of fruits & vegetables. 

 

In the olden times, Indian culture was such that it utilized every possible resource. Whether it is about clothes, food or any other thing, it was utilized multiple times till it wore out. The culture of cooking the peels is a legacy & habit passed on to us from our older generation. 

 

We are not bringing something new in this blog. It is a simple reminder of who we are and why it's time to cherish our forgotten values. Typical Indian homes used to have the least waste in the olden times due to these practices. It’s time we switch back to those practices & help reverse the damage caused to the planet due to our carelessness & wastage of resources. 

 

However, before we jump to those dishes, an extremely important guideline. Whenever you choose to use the peels of any fruit or vegetable, make sure they are either homegrown or organic in nature. With the increased use of pesticides & chemicals, consuming such peels can be harmful to your health. It is beneficial to only cook from those peels that are organic in nature or have been grown under your supervision. Also, wash the fruits & vegetables thoroughly before using the peels. 

 

Watermelon Rind Dosa 

 

Watermelon is a fruit that we all cherish in summer. However, this juicy fruit leaves behind a lot of waste. Did you know that this can be converted into a healthy & tasty breakfast? Yes, watermelon rind dosa is a recipe known by the name Kalingada Polo. 

 

The white part of the watermelon is used in making this dish. After you eat the watermelon, remove the pink and green parts. The white part is then chopped into small pieces and mixed with rice, methi dal & urad dal. The mixture is kept aside for 2-3 hours. 

 

After 2-3 hours, add the mixture to a jar and put some washed puffed rice. Grind them together to form the batter. The medium-thick batter will have to be fermented for over 6-7 hours overnight after adding the needed salt. The next morning, it is ready to be made into warm dosas. 

Lemon Peel Pickle 

 

Do not throw away the lemon peels after squeezing the juice out of them. They can give a delicious & spicy dish to enjoy with your daily meals. Lemon peels are also used in making a bio-enzyme that can replace your chemical-filled cleaners. Make a choice as per your needs and reduce the waste from your bin by putting your lemon peels to the best use. 

 

To make pickles from lemon peels, make sure to first clean the peels and remove the seeds from them. Cut the peels into small pieces and pat them dry with a cloth. Boil the lemon peels to make them soft to absorb the spices. 

 

Thereafter, in a pan, heat some oil and add asafoetida, carom seeds, and nigella seeds. Cook them and add lemon peels. Put some garam masala, roasted cumin powder, red chilli powder, and black salt. Mix everything well. If you want it to be sweet, you can add some sugar as well. The pickle is ready to be stored and served after a few days. 

 

The taste enhances as days pass and the spices mix with the lemon peels. 

 

Potato peel chips

 

You must have enjoyed potato chips, but have you ever tried potato peel chips? 

 

This delicious snack is easy to make & fun to eat. When you peel off the potatoes, make sure to keep the peels aside. Make sure to wash and rinse the potatoes well, if you are planning to cook the peels. You can store the peels in the fridge in an air-tight container if you can’t cook them instantly. Make sure to cook them within a day or two if you choose to store them in the fridge. 

 

You can fry the peels in oil on a stove or choose to bake them in the oven. Once they are cooked, you can garnish them with a variety of spices like salt, pepper or chat masala.  

 

Additional tip - You can do the same thing with peels of carrots.

 

The Power of Peels

 

Peels are a powerful resource that can be converted into compost or a wonderful recipe. Simply discarding the peels into the nearby bins of “Wet Waste” is an abuse of resources. Nobody knows where it will end up, either in landfills or in the process of incineration. 

 

Instead, it is better to put the peels to use by either choosing to compost or cook them. 

 

Peels are packed with nutrients, fibre & antioxidants. Throwing them away is like throwing away your potential power. Along with these amazing dishes, you can add some wholesome food from awenest to your daily routine.  

 

Let’s be smart and put every resource to its best use!

Reference - 

 

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/peeling-fruits-veggies#TOC_TITLE_HDR_2 

Author - brinda shah is a freelance content writer. she is a ca turned into a writer who loves to read, write & meditate. you can connect with her on linkedin  and on instagram