TROPICAL TASTE - Pomelo...the giant grapefruit

Also known as pommelo, pummelo, pumelo, and pompelmous (from pompoen, the Dutch word for gourd and the Portuguese limoes, or lemon) and called jabong by the Japanese; the pomelo (Citrus maxima or grandus) is the fruit of the shaddock tree, named after Captain Shaddock, a 17th Century English ship commander who introduced the seeds to the West..

The fruit grows as wild seedlings throughout Southeast Asia, but there is evidence that it was introduced by the early Chinese settlers.  It is considered to be the original ancestor of the grapefruit. 

Brought to the New World in the late 1600's by the Spanish and Portuguese navigators, it is thought to be more closely related to the orange than to any other citrus. 

The mature fruit of the gigantic pomelos can have either smooth or rough skin and a very thick rind.   Since the rind is so thick and the segment walls are also very thick and tough, the fruit is usually served after removing and peeling the individual sections.   

The rind can be crystallized with sugar syrups to make a very acceptable sweet as a candied peel.   Just follow a recipe as you would for grapefruit candied peel.

The pulp is quite similar to the grapefruit, can be pale yellow, pink or deep red, depending on the variety, with some varieties being juicer and sweeter and others a bit drier, pithier and tart.  Most varieties contain a larger amount of seeds than the regular grapefruit. 

Plants and seeds were introduced to Hawaii at least three generations ago by the Chinese and Japanese migrants who came to work the sugar plantations.  Although it is now considered 'an old-fashioned fruit' and most nurseries don't even bother carrying the trees, you still see many growing in back yards where they were planted by the early Asian arrivals to the islands.

 Pomelo, grapefruit and a large lemon - for comparison.

In our climate, its not unusual to see at least two crops a year, with fruit taking from 6 to 9 months to mature.  The fruit can be left on the tree for a couple of months after it colors.  In some Southeast Asian countries, fruit is harvested still green and then stored for several months during which time they claim the flavor and color is much improved. 

It is a very hardy fruit and does not bruise easily if left to mature and fall off the trees.  It also has a long shelf life and can be stored for up to 2 months under suitable conditions after maturing.

This ancestor of our commonly known grapefruits can grow as large as a foot in diameter and some can weigh as much as 25 pounds. 

As a rule, due to the size and weight, the pomelo is not considered a good fruit for exporting and most consumption is done locally. 

When we owned the Inn we had three pomelo trees in the back yard that were, at the time, at least 65 years old.  Two were sweet and one was very tart.  They had been planted by Mr. Akita, the original owner of the property.  We were very fortunate that the Akita's oldest daughter, who grew up in the property the Inn was located, was our back yard neighbor and we learned much from her about all the trees her father had planted in the back yard.

BROILED POMELO
When in season, we used to serve the pomelo this way to our guests at the Inn as part of their breakfast. Can be served as appetizer, salad course or even dessert! The broiling process will release the juices.  Serves 4 people.

2 pomelos
4 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish (optional)

Preheat your broiler to medium.

When selecting the pomelos, make sure that the stem and the bottom ends are fairly flat, or that you can cut the stem ends evenly to be able to sit the halves securely in the oven and on the serving plate without tipping over.

Cut each pomelo in half, pick out as many of the larger seeds as possible, then loosen the pulp with a serrated curved-bladed knife by running it all along the sides of the segment walls.  Mix the sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle over the surface of the fruit.

Place the fruit halves on a broiler rack in a broiler pan and broil for a few minutes, until the sugar has melted and the fruit is hot.  Serve immediately.  Garnish with mint leaves.

For variation on this recipe, use ginger instead of cinnamon and honey instead of sugar.

My son Anthony wanted me to mention that our pet white goat, Manapua (Pua for short) used to love pomelos and could eat a whole one at one time by holding it in his mouth  and taking big bites without dropping it on the ground.

		Sonia Martinez, Gather Food Correspondent
	Sonia's column, 'Tropical Taste' is a regular twice-monthly feature of Gather Essentials: Food. Sonia is a cookbook author and freelance food writer for several publications in Hawaii, and is also a Hawaii Island Journal restaurant reviewer in partnership with her son Anthony Mathis.  She lives in a beautiful rural rainforest area on the Big Island of Hawaii. You can keep up with Sonia's adventures and ongoing love affair with Hawaii by joining her network, or visiting her food & garden blog at Sonia Tastes Hawaii.