The pomelo (Citrus maxima or Citrus grandis), is the largest of the citrus fruits as its botanical name suggests. It is native to South East Asia. It is usually pale green to yellow when ripe, with sweet pale yellow, pink or red flesh and a thick, fibrous rind. Other names for the fruit include pummelo, pommelo, pompelmous, Lusho fruit, shaddock (after the captain who introduced it to the Caribbean) and Chinese grapefruit. 

The taste varies from mildly tart to sweet depending on the variety. It does not have the bitterness or acidity of a grapefruit and some new varieties have hints of strawberry. 

Origins and Myth

The fruit has a long history, it was first introduced to China around 100BC. In the West Indies the fruit has a thinner skin, with more juice; it is uncertain if this is due to hybridisation or mutation. 

The name is thought to originate from the Malay word "pumpulmas", which the Dutch pronounced "pompelmoes", leading to the English pomelo. It is recorded that in 1187 a pilgrim to "Palestine" called it Adam's Apple and said of the fruit "marks of Adam's teeth plainly seen" in the rind.

The grapefruit, to which it is often compared, although they taste very different, is the result of a pomelo-orange cross. The fruit can grow as big as a basketball and can weight over 10kgs. Most pomelo have between 16-18 segments.

In Vietnam, people gather the luscious blooms of the pomelo to make perfume. I have a tree outside my bedroom and the flowers have a beautiful scent.

It is said that the Chinese believe the fruit is a sign of abundance, prosperity and good fortune. The leaves of the fruit, or sometimes skin, are soaked in water to make a ritual cleansing bath said to ward off evil.

Health Benefits

A good source of Vitamin C. It is also a source of potassium and folic acid.

It has long been considered a remedy for seizures and coughs in Asia. A poultice of the leaves is said to relieve skin swellings and ulcers. In Brazil the bark and sap is used to make cough medicine. People taking certain seizure or antidepressant medications who should not eat grapefruit due to synthesis interference will want to avoid pomelo too.

Eating and Cooking

Choose fruit that feels heavy for its size and blemish free. The fruit will keep in the fridge, if stored whole, for a couple of weeks. The juice and the zest can be frozen. The best way to get at the flesh is to make several lengthways knife cuts in the rind and peel it away, the pith keeping the segments intact. When eating remove the pith. One tip is to place a partially peeled fruit in the fridge, which causes the pith to contract. 

One interesting tip I came across was to lightly roast the segments in unsalted butter and serve with freshly ground pink peppercorns.

A half pomelo skin can make an unusual individual serving bowl for salad; the skin can be dyed with a little grenadine or beetroot juice for added impact.

Several countries use the peel to make marmalade, or candied then dipped in chocolate. In Chinese cuisine the peel is both candied and used in cooking. In Cantonese cuisine pomelo is braised or steamed with Chinese ham or dried shrimp.

Many Southeast Asian countries make a savoury salad with the flesh. In the Philippines, the fruit is segmented and dipped in salt.

Recipes

http://www.recipezaar.com/recipes.php?foodido=17142,17170&title=pomelo

Image Credit: Image 4 and homepage courtesy of Top Class Fruit