Pomelo

Pomelo
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Sapindales
Family:	Rutaceae
Genus:	Citrus
Species:	C. maxima
Binomial name
Citrus maxima Merr.

Pomelo, raw

Flesh of a pomelo
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	159 kJ (38 kcal)
Carbohydrates	9.62 g
Dietary fiber	1 g
Fat	0.04 g
Protein	0.76 g
Vitamins and minerals Vitamins Quantity %DV† Thiamine (B1) 3% 0.034 mg Riboflavin (B2) 2% 0.027 mg Niacin (B3) 1% 0.22 mg Vitamin B6 2% 0.036 mg Vitamin C 68% 61 mg Minerals Quantity %DV† Iron 1% 0.11 mg Magnesium 1% 6 mg Manganese 1% 0.017 mg Phosphorus 1% 17 mg Potassium 7% 216 mg Sodium 0% 1 mg Zinc 1% 0.08 mg
Link to USDA Database entry
†Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults, except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies.

The pomelo (Citrus maxima or Citrus grandis), (Common names: pummelo, pommelo, lusho fruit or shaddock, Bengali: জাম্বুরা or বাতাবী লেবু) is a crisp citrus fruit native to South and Southeast Asia. It is usually pale green to yellow when ripe, with sweet white (or, more rarely, pink or red) flesh and very thick albedo (rind pith). It is the largest citrus fruit, 15–25 centimetres (5.9–9.8 in) in diameter, and usually weighing 1–2 kilograms (2.2–4.4 lb).

Etymology, cultivation and uses

The pomelo is native to Southeast Asia and is known there under a wide variety of names. In large parts of South East Asia, it is a popular dessert, often eaten raw sprinkled with or dipped in salt mixture. It is also eaten in salads and drinks.

Pomelo seedling

The pomelo tastes like a sweet, mild grapefruit (which is itself believed to be a hybrid of the pomelo and the orange), though the typical pomelo is much larger in size than the grapefruit. It has very little, or none, of the common grapefruit's bitterness, but the enveloping membranous material around the segments is bitter, considered inedible, and thus usually is discarded. The peel is sometimes used to make marmalade, can be candied and sometimes dipped in chocolate or, in China, is used in stir-fry with pork. Pomelos are usually grafted onto other citrus rootstocks, but can be grown from seed, provided the seeds are not allowed to dry out before planting.

The etymology of the word "pomelo" is uncertain. It is thought to perhaps be an alteration of pampelmoes ("shaddock") or alternatively, perhaps an alteration of a compound of pome ("apple") + melon.

The two varieties are a sweet kind, which has white flesh, and a sour kind, which has pinkish flesh and is more likely to be used as an altar decoration than actually eaten. Pomelos are often eaten during the mid-autumn festival or mooncake festival; in Asia.

The fruit is said to have been introduced to Japan by a Cantonese captain in the An'ei era (1772–1781).

It is one of the ingredients of Forbidden Fruit, a liqueur dating back to the early 20th century that also contains honey and brandy. This liqueur is most famously used in the Dorchester cocktail.

The fruit is known as "robab tenga" in Assam, and is a popular fruit among mass. In Manipur, the fruit is used as a major source of vitamin C. In KERALA, this is widely seen and called in Malayalam as 'Babloos Naranga' 'Kampili naranga' or, Madhura naranga' etc. In Hindi it is called 'Chakothara' चकोतरा. In Nepal, it is called 'Bhogate' भोगटे.

Hybrids

The tangelo is a hybrid between the pomelo and the tangerine. It has a thicker skin than a tangerine and is less sweet. The Oroblanco is a hybrid between the pomelo and the grapefruit, the grapefruit itself being a hybrid between pomelo and the sweet orange. Mandelos are another pomelo hybrid.

Gallery

• 
  Whole ripe pomelo from Kerala (South India)
• 
  South Indian pomelo cut in half
• 
  Pomelos
• 
  Pomelo after being cut
• 
  Sectioned pomelo
• 
  Pomelo on tree
• 
  Ipoh pomelos on sale at Chinatown, Singapore
• 
  Fruit on tree; from the Philippines
• 
  Pomelo flower in early April
• 
  Yam som-o: spicy Thai pomelo salad with tamarind juice
• 
  Tam som-o nam pu: spicy Thai pomelo salad with crab extract
• 
  Fujian's Pinghe County is famous in China for its pomelos
• 
  Pomelo in southern Vietnam.

External links

• Pomelo Nutrition Information from USDA SR 22 database
• Pomelo: The "lucky" giant citrus