Preserves

Water Melon Rind Jam (Murabbat Raggi) 

With all the jams cooking in the region, there was a time when the only imported variety was the Australian water melon rind jam. It was good but it lacked the enticing aromas of the cardamom, rose water, mastic, and lots of other spices of the home made varieties. Here is how you can make it at home:

• 1 pound water melon rind (measure after removing the green outer skin and all traces of pink)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 strip lemon peel
• 3 tablespoons honey
• A few melon seeds
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon mastic, or 1/2 teaspoon mastic cream (see glossary), or 3 whole pods cardamom