Stuffed Melon

Melon stuffed with meat is one of the flavors of Ottoman cuisine and exemplifies the tradition of fruit-based meat dishes. The melon is hollowed out and filled to prepare this dish. Unripe, semi-ripe melons are preferred for stuffing. It was served during the circumcision ceremony of Sultan Sultan Süleyman’s princes Şah Cihangir and Beyazıt, as part of the ceremonial çanak feast.

Historical sources also record the name and recipe of this dish. One such source is a work written by Mehmet Kamil in the 19th century.

“Method of preparation: Cut a sweet melon at the stem end, remove the seeds and clean out the interior. Finely chop one or two onions and sauté them with a spoonful of plain rice and a portion of lamb mince. Once cooked, add a cup of washed rice in sufficient quantity, along with salt, pepper, almonds, pistachios, and raisins. Stir several times, then remove from heat and fill the prepared melon with this mixture. Secure the cut-off top with a few toothpicks and bake in an oven using a güveç or sahan until fully cooked. It becomes extremely delicious. This mixture can also be stuffed into pumpkins; if the pumpkin is tasteless, add a cup of grape molasses as well, which imparts another flavor.” ^【1】

^{(Melon stuffed with meat,} Türkiye Culture Portal⁾

The slightly sweet taste of the melon complements the savory meat filling, creating a harmonious contrast.

• 50 g rice
• 30 g raisins
• 1 small unripe melon
• 200 g lamb mince
• 50 g butter
• 2 medium onions
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 30 g almonds, peeled and toasted
• 30 g stuffed pistachios, toasted

Cover the rice with enough water and wash it three to four times without breaking the grains until the starchy water is removed. Finally, soak it in water for about 20 minutes, then rinse and drain. Soak the raisins in water as well. Cut the top of the melon like a lid and carefully remove the seeds along with a small amount of the inner flesh. In a pan, sauté the mince with butter and onions. Once cooked, add the rice. Continue cooking until the onions and rice soften. Then add the spices, salt, sugar, raisins, almonds, and pistachios. Fill the melon with this mixture and secure the lid with toothpicks. Bake in an oven at 200 degrees for approximately 40 to 50 minutes. Let rest for five minutes, remove the toothpicks, then serve.

Video content about the dish (TRT)