Watermelons are of a large size, contain much juice and have a sweet taste. This plant originated in the hot and dry parts of Africa and is cultivated around the Mediterranean. It was known as a red melon in Vietnam about 2,300 years ago.
A watermelon has a round or oval shape, and weighs 1.5-30kg. The fruit’s skin is hard, smooth and has stripes and spots; or it is black, dark green, light green or yellow. The flesh is red or yellow, and contains dozens to hundreds of seeds.
Vietnam grows many strains of watermelons, such as the Sugarbaby (red flesh, 3-7kg), the red flesh An Tiem (7-9kg), and the yellow flesh An Tiem (2-3kg). The An Tiem strains are gradually replacing the Sugababy. An Tiem watermelons are linked with a Vietnamese legend about the red melon.
An Tiem, an adopted son of King Hung XVIII, was an intelligent and resourceful young man, so the king gave him much love and support. Some mandarins in the court were jealous and spoke ill of him. The king exiled An Tiem’s private family to an island.
On the island, An Tiem built a hut. The family sought food by hunting and fishing. One day, he saw birds drop black seeds on the ground. He brought them home to sow. They grew into long creepers, then blossomed and produced fruit. He picked an old fruit with a thick cover, broke it and saw pink red flesh spotted with black seeds. He tried eating it and discovered a sweet and fragrant flavor. From that time, he cultivated the plant and sold the fruit to merchant boat.
An Tiem improved his family’s life by growing watermelons. But he always remembered life in the mainland. One day, he knew that a ship was going to the mainland so he chose beautiful melons to send to the king as gifts.
When the king knew that An Tiem remained alive and had become rich, he sent a fleet of boats to bring his family back. He extolled An Tiem, considering him a good example of labor for the young people.
In Vietnam, watermelons are an indispensable fruit for Tet holidays. On the altar of ancestors a pair of big melons are placed. Vietnamese believe the red flesh of the melons will bring them good luck throughout the year.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Dưa Hấu (Watermelon)
(from The Saigon Times Weekly, January 24, 2004)
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