Pomelo

Posted on 04. Jan, 2010 by grace in Ingredients

Pomelo

You might expect that the largest of all citrus fruits would be enough to feast upon from sun up to sunset, from Mid-Autumn to the dead of winter. Not so, with the deceptive pomelo. Native to Southeast Asia, this sweetly tart fruit can balloon to nearly a foot in diameter. The skin, when candied, is consumed with as much zeal as the fruit, which is low in calories and contains plenty of potassium and vitamin C. Similar to its grapefruit kin, the pomelo can range in taste, juiciness, and saturation of seeds, and breaks easily into segments. Pomelos found in Asia have a pointy top with much thicker skin and pith, the soft white part under the outer skin. The pith is a popular ingredient for a famous Cantonese dish that requires repeated blanching to remove any bitterness. The pith is usually prepared often with shrimp roes. Pomelos are especially popular during the Mid-Autumn Festival, enjoyed in celebration of the full moon and, no pun intended, the fruitful harvest.