Instructions

• Purée watermelon, lime juice, lime zest, and sugar in a blender until smooth. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a 2-quart saucepan, pressing firmly on the pulp until all the liquid has been strained, and discard the remaining solids. Ladle about ¼ cup watermelon juice into a small bowl and set aside.
• In a sauce pot combine watermelon juice and rose water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to ensure the liquid does not scorch on the bottom.
• Add cornstarch to the reserved ¼ cup of watermelon juice and stir until dissolved.  Whisk the mixture into the boiling watermelon juice. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 3 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and the liquid is no longer cloudy from raw cornstarch. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pan with a heat-resistant spatula to prevent sticking.
• Pour pudding through clean sieve into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until set, at least 3 hours.
• Just before serving, beat heavy cream with remaining 1 teaspoon sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks. Top the pudding with whipped cream and optional garnishes.
• Optional Garnishes: Shelled and chopped unsalted pistachios; white or dark chocolate shavings