Plant atlas Short
Watermelon Rind Cooks Into a Thai Sour Curry
Watermelon · แตงโม · Citrullus lanatus
Watermelon — แตงโม (taeng-mo) — Citrullus lanatus.
In Thai kitchens it gets pickled and simmered into sour curry. The sweet flesh is the main edible part, and the rind and seeds are edible too. Across randomized trials of watermelon intake and L-citrulline supplements, blood-pressure readings came down modestly, but that work was about the flesh and supplements. Pickled rind fell outside the tested materials. The flesh is rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, and lycopene. Lycopene is the red carotenoid pigment that also colors tomatoes; it acts as an antioxidant and is studied for supporting heart health. Pla haeng taeng mo tops chilled watermelon cubes with a sweet-salty mix of pounded dried fish and crispy fried shallots. Kaeng som pluak taeng mo simmers peeled watermelon rind in a sour tamarind curry, served hot over steamed jasmine rice. The seeds roast up into a snack, and the rind is the one you just met in that curry. Rest each developing melon on a tile or straw pad so it doesn't rot on wet ground. Lycopene is fat-soluble, so a little oil helps you absorb it. Follow Longevity Biome for a new Thai plant every day.
Pla Haeng Taengmo — ปลาแห้งแตงโม (pla-haeng-taeng-mo)
Kaeng Som Pluak Taengmo — แกงส้มเปลือกแตงโม (gaeng-som-pluak-taeng-mo)
Source: Luo P et al. (2025). Does L-citrulline supplementation and watermelon intake reduce blood pressure in middle-aged and older adults? Systematic review/meta-analysis of RCTs. Clin Nutr ESPEN 69:653-664. DOI:10.1016/j.clnesp.2025.07.1130 (PMID 40789388)
Educational content, not medical advice! Consult your doctor before changing diet or medication.
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Food and nutrients
Rich in: vitamin C, vitamin A, lycopene
Research context
Watermelon / L-citrulline trials lowered blood-pressure readings — meta-analysis, 2025