POMELO (Green Skin/Pink Flesh)

Common Name: Pomelo
Vernacular Names: Pummelo, Shaddock, Chinese grapefruit
Botanical Name: Citrus maxima
Specimens From: Thailand
Specimens Weight: 1 kg [2 lb 2.7 oz]

Pomelo is the biggest citrus fruit, with some bigger than a soccer ball. It is native to South-east Asia and is now widely cultivated in many Asian countries and also in the Pacific. Pomelo is extremely popular during the Chinese lunar new year.

Pomelo is huge and tipping the scale, way above 5 kg is not uncommon. The specimen fruit photo shown is considered as 'mini' size.

The shape is usually slightly pear-shape or round. The skin color ranges from green to yellow. You can eat it even when it is green. The pulp can be clear, pale off-white, pink or almost red.

Eating pomelo takes a bit of effort as the skin is extremely thick but spongy. Use the tip of a sharp knife to make a one inch deep incision vertically down, from top to the bottom of the fruit. Repeat a few times round the fruit and peel off the skin slowly (refer to photo).

The taste is mildly sweet, aromatic and usually, does not have the strong acidic taste found in grapefruit. But do not bite on the membranes (the translucent segments containing the teardrop sacs) as it is very bitter. Most of the cutivars have only a few seeds but some of them can be seedy.

Pink Pomelo Juice

If you prefer to drink it, you may have pomelo juice! You may add sugar to sweeten the taste as pure pomelo juice may be slightly bitter.


View other fruits in the same family: Rutaceae [Citrus Family].


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