What is watermelon honey (nardek), how is it useful and how to prepare it

Watermelon honey is a fragrant, tasty and healthy delicacy. It is harvested at the end of summer. The product has many beneficial properties and goes well with homemade cakes and other desserts.

In the article you will learn which watermelons are suitable for making honey, how to prepare it at home, what its benefits and harms are.

History of origin

In the 19th century in Russia, rich harvests of melons and melons were harvested on the territory of Astrakhan. Watermelons were distributed throughout the country, and entrepreneurs received good profits.

Constantly increasing collection volumes led to a crisis of overproduction: there was simply no time for large, sweet berries to be sold, and they began to spoil. Craftsmen We were looking for ways to process watermelons to make something that would last for a long time. Housewives canned them, salted them and fermented along with cabbage. The Don Cossacks adopted a healthy and simple recipe from the Asians - honey from juicy pulp.

Reference. A delicacy called “nardek” quickly gained popularity. It was used as a glaze for gingerbread cookies exported to other countries.

Cooking of honey began in late autumn after more fruits have already been sold out. Any crop residues, even small and inconspicuous ones, were suitable for nardek. For long-term storage, the finished product was poured into clay pots or sealed in glass containers.

Composition and properties

Watermelon honey, despite its sweetness, has a low calorie content: 100 g contains only 100 kcal.

Dessert is allowed to be consumed even by people with diabetes mellitus (carefully). Nardek is characterized by a pleasant, not cloying sweet taste and a light, fresh aroma. It does not crystallize during storage.

Honey contains only 9% fat and even 1% protein, and sugar content exceeds 50%. In him contains useful microelements and vitamins:

• A, C, E, B and P;
• iron;
• potassium, folic acid;
• magnesium;
• pectin;
• beta carotene.

The classic cooking recipe does not involve adding sugar, therefore the product is considered safe for those who watches his figure.

Benefits and harms

An important property of watermelon honey is its ability to retain all the beneficial substances in its composition even after heat treatment.. This makes the product a useful tool for the prevention of viral and colds. Consumption of nardek helps in the treatment of sore throat and bronchitis, laryngitis and multiple sclerosis, blood diseases and cardiovascular diseases.

Important! Honey is consumed during a diet for weight loss, replacing the usual high-calorie desserts.

Other beneficial properties are known in folk medicine watermelon treat:

• normalizes kidney function;
• improves digestion and functioning of the entire gastrointestinal tract;
• increases the level of hemoglobin in the blood;
• strengthens the immune system;
• prevents pathological changes in liver tissues and cells.

It is believed that honey from watermelon pulp is beneficial for cancer.. It is recommended to add it to the diet of those who are struggling with tuberculosis or undergoing treatment for sexually transmitted diseases.

Nardek restores the body after illnesses, replenishes the lack of fluid and normalizes the water-salt balance.

There is no direct harm to health from consuming watermelon honey. This is a safe delicacy that people of all ages can easily include in the menu in moderation (except for certain groups of people, which we will talk about towards the end of the article, in the appropriate section).

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Selection and preparation of fruits

Only ripe and sweet fruits are selected for making honey.. Unripe watermelons make a sour and not very rich dessert. You will have to add sugar to it, which reduces the benefits.

First the watermelons are prepared:

1. They are washed well and cut into two halves.
2. Using a large spoon, scoop out the pulp. It is better to do this in a large container so that the dripping juice does not disappear - it will come in handy later.
3. All seeds are removed from the resulting mass and the pulp and juice are mashed with a wooden spoon.
4. The entire composition is ground through a sieve. This way it will acquire a homogeneous and airy consistency.

You can use a blender to grind the pulp, but subsequent filtration through gauze or a sieve is required.

How to cook nardek at home

The process of making watermelon dessert at home is simple.. If you have free time and sufficient quantities of ripe watermelons, you can prepare healthy honey for the winter, which is not inferior in taste and benefits to bees. There are several recipes for preparing nardek.

Classic recipe

It will take 5-6 large fruits to obtain approximately 1 liter of honey. The liquid boils down greatly during the boiling process. Honey is boiled only in an enamel container.

Cooking process:

1. Place the filtered and grated watermelon mass into cheesecloth and squeeze out the juice well; discard the remaining pulp.
2. Pour all the liquid into a large bowl or saucepan, place over low heat and bring to a boil, constantly skimming off any foam that forms.
3. When the mixture boils, let it simmer for 2-3 minutes and remove from heat.
4. Once cooled to room temperature, strain the juice again through a layer of gauze, then place it in a clean saucepan and return to low heat. This stage of preparation is the most responsible and labor-intensive.

Cooking lasts at least four hours with constant stirring, otherwise the mass will burn and the taste will deteriorate.

Reference. The riper the watermelons, the longer it will take to process and boil them.

To check if a product is ready, look at its consistency and color.. Honey should hold its shape well and not spread across the plate. A rich brown color indicates the completion of cooking.

Adyghe recipe

To obtain thick watermelon syrup in the Adyghe style, you will need 3 kg of pure juice. The output will be about 300 ml of honey. The peculiarity of the recipe is the addition of cream or sour cream.

Step-by-step preparation:

1. Pour the pulp passed through a sieve into a large enameled container and place on the stove.
2. Cook until boiling, then reduce heat to low and stir until thick and brown.
3. Remove the product from the stove and let it cool to room temperature so that the dairy products do not curdle due to heat.
4. Add sour cream or cream, mix well and pour into glass jars.

To honey in Adyghe add sour cream or cream only with high fat content.

This dessert is served with warm bread, Turkish delight, or simply with tea.

With added mint

Mint nardek is an ideal addition to fruit salads or baked goods.. The herb with its exquisite aroma gives the dish a special piquancy and freshness, and throughout the winter it will remind you of the warm summer.

For preparation you will need:

• 3 kg of watermelons;
• 0.5 kg sugar (brown can be used);
• a few sprigs of mint and thyme.

Sequencing:

1. Strain the watermelon pulp and juice through a sieve.
2. In a separate bowl, mix chopped mint leaves, thyme and sugar.
3. Add them to the berry mixture and simmer on low heat.
4. Boil, stirring constantly. The mixture should thicken and acquire a rich dark red color.

You cannot cook honey from watermelon quickly and over high heat., otherwise the product will not thicken, and if filtered poorly through one layer of gauze, veins will remain in it.

Uses of watermelon honey

To prevent colds and strengthen the immune system Watermelon honey is consumed daily. This helps remove waste from the body and cleanse it of toxins.

Nardek recommended to be included in the diet for insomnia. It has a slight calming effect, eliminates the effects of stress and tidies up the nervous system. At night, it is recommended to drink a glass of warm tea with 2-3 tablespoons of honey.

To quench your thirst on a hot day or replenish fluid loss, watermelon jam is added to warm water and drunk throughout the day. In addition, dessert is served with pancakes and pancakes, crumpets and fresh bread. It is suitable as a filling for pies and cheesecakes.

Watermelon honey used as a sweetener for cottage cheese, oatmeal, tea and coffee. To prevent diseases of the liver and gastrointestinal tract, a few drops of nardek are mixed with oat broth, and a cough can be cured with a mixture of sweets and onion juice.

For the prevention of cardiovascular diseases Instead of sugar, honey is added to a decoction of rose hips, chamomile or other medicinal herbs.

Berry treat also suitable for outdoor use. It has a healing effect on problem skin, so it is used in masks, balms, gels and creams.

Compositions based on nardec have beneficial properties for the skin of the face and neck:

• nourish and moisturize;
• rejuvenate and prevent the appearance of wrinkles;
• give a velvety feel;
• increase elasticity;
• relieve inflammation and redness.

To apply masks, honey is mixed with blue clay, sea buckthorn or olive oil.

Reference. To strengthen hair and give it shine, nardek is applied to the root part of the hair and to the ends. To enhance the effect, it is mixed with burdock oil or egg yolk.

To give the skin a light and pleasant fruity aroma, a small amount of watermelon jam is added to the bath. In warm water, it reveals its characteristic odor and is actively absorbed into the skin. This procedure is good for relaxing after a hard day at work.

Warm honey solution will help with oral diseases, gingivitis and stomatitis. Rinsing will quickly eliminate discomfort, inflammation and irritation.

Consumption standards for adults and children

No strict consumption standards have been established. But you shouldn’t get carried away with the delicious delicacy. Overeating is fraught with vomiting and intestinal upset.

Children are advised to start giving dessert in small doses., gradually increasing the daily norm.It is not recommended to add nardek to the diet of children under five years of age.

For adults, the optimal daily intake - 3-4 tablespoons, for children - half the portion.

Contraindications

Honey made from watermelon pulp is practically harmless. You should not get carried away with the product if you have gastritis, as it can provoke its exacerbation.

People prone to allergies and asthma attacks will have to give up Nardek. In order not to provoke allergic reactions in infants, it is better for nursing mothers not to introduce nardek into their diet during lactation.

Conclusion

Watermelon honey is one of the few desserts that is allowed on a diet. It will completely satisfy the need for sweets and in moderate quantities will not add extra centimeters to the waist. This is a universal remedy against many diseases and for their prevention.