Not very long ago, unusual large yellow or greenish pear-shaped fruits with a pronounced grapefruit smell and the mysterious name "pomelo" appeared on the shelves of supermarkets and markets. Not every daredevil dared to try an overseas product, and even today many are wondering how to choose a pomelo so as not to be disappointed.
By the way, this fruit has practically no contraindications, except for individual intolerance to citrus allergy sufferers. It is recommended for people who care about the normalization of weight and metabolism, as it perfectly satisfies hunger. Recently, information flashed in the press that a substance that rejuvenates the body was found in the pomelo. It is not excluded that soon the ways of obtaining a real "elixir of youth" from this fruit will be discovered.
What is a pomelo and how is it eaten?
The pomelo is the fruit of an evergreen tree reaching 15 m in height. Although fruits of a relatively light weight are presented in domestic supermarkets, in nature there are record-breaking pomeloes weighing up to 10 kg and a diameter of about 30 cm. Without exaggeration, this is a giant among citrus fruits. It is grown in southern China, Thailand, India and other countries with warm climates, where it is considered a symbol of wealth and prosperity.
Tourists have the opportunity to enjoy this amazing fruit as part of many national dishes of exotic countries. In Russia, it is consumed mainly raw, sometimes added to salads.
Not suitable for juice production due to the structure of the pulp. For this it is better to use the "relative" of the pomelo - grapefruit.
The porous, fragrant rind of the pomelo hides the juicy fruit, divided into lobules, each of which is surrounded by a dense membrane. Membranes, as a rule, are not eaten. The fibers that make up the pomelo pulp are firmer and larger than those of grapefruit, but have a similar bittersweet taste. Most often, there are bones in the slices, but there are also varieties of pomelo without them.
Pomelo is a real storehouse of vitamins of group B, C. It also contains beta-carotene and trace elements: potassium, sodium, phosphorus, iron, calcium.
Pomelo varieties
Not all buyers realize that there are different varieties of pomelo. In fact, there are several of them. In Russia, you can try 2-3 varieties, but in countries that grow pomelo, there are at least five of them. Here are the most popular varieties.
| Variety | Description |
| Khao horn | Fruit of yellowish green color with white sweet flesh |
| Khao namphung | Pear-shaped. The rind is yellowish-green. White flesh with a sour taste |
| Khao paen | Reminds of a yellowish-green ball squeezed on both sides. The pulp is yellow-white, sourish |
| Khao phuang | Pear-shaped fruits, often found on the shelves of our stores. Greenish yellow, with a pleasant sweet and sour flesh |
| Thongdi | An attractive round fruit with a dark green skin and an appetizing sweet pink flesh |
All pomelo have a common feature: with a relatively large size, the edible part of the fruit is very small - slightly larger than that of a grapefruit. It's just that it is surrounded on the outside by a large layer of zest, which, on the one hand, protects the pulp from mechanical damage, and on the other, prolongs the shelf life of the pomelo.
What to focus on when shopping
When you are standing by a large fruit basket in the supermarket, choosing a pomelo, pay attention to the color of the fruit. It doesn't matter if it is yellowish or almost green - it depends on the variety. The main thing is that there are no brown stripes and spots on it, as well as dents.
With its characteristic good keeping quality, the pomelo does not tolerate temperature fluctuations well, therefore it begins to deteriorate where the conditions of its storage are not observed. Burgundy circles on the skin of the pomelo may indicate inappropriate storage of these fruits in the store. It is better not to buy such a product.
A lot about the freshness and ripeness of the pomelo can be said by the compaction at the site of the former stalk, with which the fruit was attached to the branch, in the narrowest part of the fruit. To do this, you need to slightly press on the top of the pomelo: if it is very tough, then the fruit is clearly not ripe, if it is easily squeezed through, then most likely it has begun to rot. If, when pressed, you feel a pleasant elasticity, then this is exactly what you need: a juicy ripe pomelo, which is not ashamed to be served at the table, for example, as a light snack for champagne or white wines.
As a rule, pomelo when sold is packed in an individual net. In this case, the condition of the peel is clearly visible. But when, in addition to the net, it is also wrapped in pinkish mica, the risk of buying a product that has partially lost its presentation increases.
Fresh ripe pomelo exudes a seductive, bitter aroma. If you smell a musty smell instead, don't risk it: buy a pomelo from a reputable supplier who cares about the storage conditions of these delicate exotic fruits.
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