Pomelo
The pomelo is the ancestor of the grapefruit. It grew wild in parts of China and its origin is probably somewhere in the region of Malaysia and Indonesia.
Today, pomelo is cultivated in the United States, Malaysia,
Thailand, Taiwan and the Fiji Islands.
There are three varieties of pomelo: white, pink and red. Not surprisingly, the pink and red varieties are sweeter than the white which has a slightly acidic taste.
It has a very thick peel and yellow, pink or red pulp. The
pomelo, also known as the shaddock, is often confused with the
grapefruit. It is sweeter and much less acidic than regular
grapefruit.
The pomelo is a big, heavy citrus fruit that contains numerous
seeds and is covered with a thick skin. Pomelos can vary from round
to pear-shaped with rind texture from smooth to pebbly.
- It can easily replace grapefruit, orange or even pineapple in many recipes.
- To facilitate paring directly to the flesh, remove some of the peel and place the pomelo in the refrigerator. The cold temperature will cause the white pith to contract and harden thereby facilitating its removal.
- If the flesh of the pomelo is a little bit dry, macerate in a little fruit juice.
- Wash the pomelo, cut it in segments, roast it lightly in unsalted butter, and serve seasoned with pink pepper.
- Use half a hollowed out pomelo as a bowl to serve your salad. To add a little colour to the white skin, use some grenadine if you are serving a fruit salad, or a little beet juice if you are serving a vegetable salad.
The pomelo is available in your METRO supermarket in January and February.
Choose a firm, heavy pomelo, with a smooth and very shiny skin.