→ How to choose a ripe pomelo. Pomelo fruit (shaddock): beneficial properties and harm, calorie content, how to eat, choose and peel Pamela fruit, how to choose a ripe one

How to choose a ripe pomelo. Pomelo fruit (shaddock): beneficial properties and harm, calorie content, how to eat, choose and peel Pamela fruit, how to choose a ripe one

Pomelo, or pamela, is not in vain considered the “king” of all citrus fruits existing on earth. It amazes with its huge size, and its sweet taste, juicy pulp and pronounced aroma are impossible to forget. To enjoy the exotic ripe fruit to the fullest, you need to know how to choose the right pomelo.

Pomelo can be either gigantic, the size of a football, or slightly larger than a grapefruit. This does not affect the taste. Regarding the color of the fruit, then it is also quite diverse, from light greenish to bright yellow or even reddish, similar to the color of a sunset. Although this exotic fruit appeared on the shelves of domestic stores not so long ago, it has already managed to win great sympathy among citrus lovers, deservedly winning the palm from grapefruit.

Pomelo has a fresh, pronounced, sweetish taste. It is not bitter, with the exception of the peel, which is easily removed. The disadvantage may be that the pulp of some varieties can be a bit dry, but if you choose it correctly, in season, it will be tasty and juicy.

Pomelo pulp is low-calorie, which will be appreciated by people watching their figure and weight. The product contains special enzymes that activate the natural burning of fat and subcutaneous deposits. Nutritionists advise people who are prone to obesity to consume pomelo daily, up to about three slices of this fruit before sitting down to the table. Citrus perfectly dulls the feeling of hunger, which will allow you to avoid eating food in uncontrollable quantities. Pomelo can also be used as a fast food substitute, and during the day it can be used as a snack.

Beneficial properties of fruits

It is not for nothing that the fruit is considered the main source of vitamins important and necessary for the body, such as A, C and PP. Pomelo contains a huge number of well-known minerals and trace elements., namely:

  • sodium;
  • phosphorus;
  • potassium;
  • iron;
  • calcium;
  • magnesium;
  • essential oils.

Citrus can increase hemoglobin in human blood and also reduce cholesterol levels. Regular consumption of this fruit has a beneficial effect on the entire body as a whole. Pomelo helps strengthen the immune system, and in patients with bronchial asthma, the general condition is alleviated. It promotes rapid recovery of the body after difficult physical exertion and helps normalize the functioning of the cardiovascular system.

Pomelo will not only saturate the body with vitamins and minerals, but is also effective in home cosmetology. Regularly rubbing the face and neck with fruit juice has a cleansing, toning and moisturizing effect on the skin. After such daily procedures, the skin becomes more youthful and fresh, and the increase in elasticity of the face and neck will pleasantly surprise you. This procedure is especially useful for women after thirty years of age. It will help avoid sagging skin and age-related changes in the oval of the face.

Contraindications for use

People need to give up this exotic citrus who have the following health problems:

  • urolithiasis disease;
  • nephritis;
  • colitis;
  • any form of hepatitis;
  • increased acidity in the stomach;
  • duodenal ulcer;
  • allergy to citrus fruits.

All other lucky people can enjoy the taste of pomelo, but do not forget that all good things should be in moderation. Overeating this product may cause stomach upset.

Due to the thick peel, the flaws of this citrus are almost invisible. Inexperienced buyers are often unfamiliar with pamela and therefore do not know how to determine whether it is ripe or not, which ultimately often leads to disappointment - the citrus turns out to be unripe, overripe and even rotten. Although large in appearance, the fruit, after peeling, can become the size of a small orange.

Like many tropical fruits, pamela requires special storage conditions with special temperature conditions, which will help protect this unpredictable and capricious citrus from rapid spoilage.

First of all, you need to pay attention to the smell of the fruit., since the taste will largely depend on it. Pamela should have a pleasant, pronounced citrus aroma. Also, there should be no suspicious spots on the peel.

Take a closer look at the color of the fruit: ideally, its peel should be evenly colored. Make sure there are no seals on the surface of the fruit. Their presence usually indicates storage errors. Such a fruit most likely has a large number of seeds or fresh and dry pulp.

If ring-shaped and burgundy or pale and thin stripes are noticeable on the peel, then it is better to refuse to purchase such a pomelo. Also check the peel for any depressions, which are usually burgundy in color. In large numbers, they create real colorful patterns on the fruit. Such a miracle of nature undoubtedly looks beautiful, but in reality it can be very dangerous to health.

Manifestations in the form of ring-shaped burgundy stains and depressions signal the development of a disease - mottling, literally eating the fruit from the inside. Brown dents also indicate this.

Particular attention should be paid to the top of the citrus fruit. The buyer should know that it is one of the weakest points of the fruit. Lightly press the top with your fingers - if it is too soft, the fruit will not be tasty or healthy. The top should be hard and dense, just like the broom itself. But if, when palpated, a slight softness is felt, and the upper part of the fruit is quite elastic, this indicates its exceptional taste properties. Pressing the top and peel of the citrus too much indicates that the pomelo is already beginning to rot inside.

How to peel fruit

Experienced gourmets know how to properly peel fruits from exotic countries. If you purchased citrus for the first time, here are some tips for peeling. There are several cleaning methods.

First method: prepare a deep bowl, the fruit pulp will be placed in it. It is better to take large dishes. Then wash the broom thoroughly under running water (preferably hot). Now you can start cleaning the fruit:

One of the advantages of pomelo is the preservation of juice in the pulp after removing the peel. For example, an orange loses a significant proportion of its juice after cutting.

There is a second option for how to clean a broom:

  1. Cut the fruit into four equal parts.
  2. Insert a sharp knife between the pulp and the peel and separate them from each other. As a result, you will get a piece of pulp, but without the top, inedible layer.
  3. Now, one by one, repeat this manipulation with the remaining parts of the pamela.

Remember that each lobe may contain about five seeds, so you should be careful and carefully check the pulp for their presence.

And now the peel is removed, the bitter film is removed, and now you can eat the fruit.

There are many ways to eat incredibly tasty, albeit capricious to peel, citrus. You can cut it however you like. Some people prefer to do it in cubes, others in slices. Gourmets add the peeled pulp to salads and other dishes where grapefruits or oranges are usually used. Pamela is often served with a variety of hot and sometimes spicy dishes. Drink lovers can treat themselves to pomelo juice. The fruit is added to cocktails chopped or ground. Also, a slice of pomelo can become a beautiful and tasty decoration for a glass.

In Asian countries, not a single festive feast is complete without pamela. The fruit is served at the table along with a variety of poultry dishes, as well as seafood. Western countries use it to prepare sour or sweet fillings for confectionery products and marmalade.

The countries of Southeast Asia, Malaysia, China, the islands of Tonga and Fiji are considered the birthplace of citrus., where it is considered a symbol of prosperity and well-being, therefore all kinds of decorative jewelry are made from it.

The thick peel of the fruit allows local craftsmen to create unusual trinkets for tourists.

Since pomelo has a rather sweet taste, you should not add sugar to it. For those who don’t want to bother with peeling the fruit, many stores offer ready-made pulp, carefully packaged in plastic. However, in this form, the pomelo does not last long and quickly turns sour. Peeled fruit can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than three days. Unpeeled pomelo will retain its beneficial properties longer and will not deteriorate within a month at room temperature.

How to choose a ripe pomelo





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Pomelo, or sheddock, is a special exotic. This is the largest citrus: in its homeland, in Southeast Asia, specimens weighing 9-10 kg are not uncommon.

Structurally, it copies the family, but everything is more solid: the fibers are dry and well-defined, the internal partitions are dense. The peel is up to a centimeter or more thick.

The dimensions of exotics inspire respect, but not everyone knows what to do with them, how to eat pomelo. There is nothing complicated in the process, but the features are worth taking into account.

How to choose a pomelo

The main difficulty in choosing is the exotic peel. It is thick, so it easily masks most defects. But you can figure it out.

Types of pomelo

At the household level, pomelo is classified according to the shade of its pulp:

  • White. The fruits are like a huge amber-yellow pear, the flesh is sweet.
  • Pink. A flattened yellow ball, the flesh is sweet and super juicy.
  • Red. The fruits are oval, the peel is pure green. The pulp is sour with bitterness.

At the official level, pomelo has several varieties:

  • Khao horn – fruit pulp is sweet, whitish; we know it as “Honey”;
  • Khao paen - a flattened ball, the exotic flesh is white, with sourness;
  • Khao namphung - the fruits resemble a pear, the flesh is sweet, with a yellowish tint;
  • Khao phuang - the fruits resemble a pear, the flesh is sweet and sour, yellowish-white.

All exotics have yellow-greenish skin.
Thongdi variety has a dense green surface. The fruits are spherical, the pulp is sweet, pronounced pinkish.

When choosing, take into account the weight of the fruit. For example, yellow pyriforms should be around 1.4-1.6 kg. Flattened or round exotics - at least a kilogram.

Fruit color

Before choosing ripe and high-quality pomelo, evaluate the peel of the fruit:

  • In different varieties it is moderate green or yellow-green.
  • Uniformity and uniform coloring of the fruit is required. Let's say a pink or orange “side”.
  • Fruits taken from the branch unripe are unevenly colored. This is also what specimens treated with chemicals look like.
  • The color of the peel is too bright due to “chemistry”.
  • Dark areas, burgundy spots, grooves, stripes or numerous dots are a sign of mottling, a disease that eats the fruit.

Brownish dents or burgundy areas indicate internal rotting of the exotic. Eating such fruits is dangerous.

What shape should a broom be?

The fruit may resemble a pear, a flattened ball, or a rugby ball (oval). It depends on the type and variety.

Many are sure that they should only eat specimens with a tapering tip: they are the sweetest. This is true for pear-shaped or oval fruits. This configuration cannot appear on spherical exotics, but they are sweet.

Density and elasticity are a sign of maturity

External conditions are not enough. Important factors are the density and elasticity of the fruit:

  1. The density of the fruit is checked by lightly pressing on the peel. A ripe pomelo has firm flesh that can be felt even through the peel. But after pressing, the peel returns to its original position.
  2. Medium density or outright softness of an exotic almost always means that it is overripe or overstayed. That is, it was stored for a long time after harvest before being sold. The taste and texture will be tasteless and “cotton”.
  3. Unripe fruits are distinguished by increased hardness without a hint of elasticity.
  4. Often, to preserve marketability, fruits are frozen. However, this kills the citrus. After defrosting, the pulp becomes tasteless. This fruit is easy to identify: when pressed with a finger, the peel and pulp are strongly pressed.

It is easiest to check the elasticity of the top. This is the narrowest segment of the fruit that once held a flower. The ideal is dense and moderately hard. If you feel softness when pressed with your finger or the peel does not return to its place, the fruit is rotting from the inside. It's not worth eating.

Is it possible to choose a pomelo by smell?

When choosing an exotic, it is advisable to “sniff” it. Especially if it is sealed not in film, but in mesh:

  • A good fruit has a pleasant citrus aroma with a slight bitterness coming from the peel.
  • If the broom smells of mold, moisture or grass, it has most likely begun to rot.
  • Unripe exotics have no smell at all.

These nuances differ at short distances.

The most pleasant thing is to eat high-quality ripe pomelo. It is massive, with smooth, evenly colored skin and a fresh aroma. It springs a little when pressed. The spoiled fruit smells unpleasant, and a dent remains at the point of pressure.

Stop factor when purchasing fruits

You should refuse to purchase if the skin of the fruit is intact, but too shiny. Gloss means it has been coated with wax for an attractive presentation. The components of the substance are able to overcome even a thick peel and seep into the pulp.

Such exotics are dangerous for children or allergy sufferers to eat.

How to properly clean a broom

Cleaning pomelo is similar to the process with other citrus fruits such as oranges or, but there are some peculiarities.

Peeling


Before cutting the pomelo, remove the peel. This can be done with a knife or by hand:

  1. Vertical (top to bottom). The tops of 1.5-2 cm are cut off on both sides of the fruit. Vertical cuts are made in the peel. The resulting “ribbons” are torn off by hand from top to bottom.
  2. Spiral. An incision is made around the surface from the top, ending at the bottom. The crust is also torn off with your hands in a circle, starting from the bottom.
  3. Manually. If there is no knife, remove the peel by hand.

The peel of the fruit is impressive, 0.9-1.6 cm. Therefore, regardless of the method, it makes sense to cut to such a depth.


Working with pulp

Cleaned sheddock is processed as follows:

  1. A white, spongy “coat” remains on the fruit. It is removed manually or with a knife.
  2. A segment of the former flower is removed from the crown.
  3. The fruit is divided in half, then into smaller parts or slices at once.
  4. The peculiarity of the pomelo is that each slice must be cleared of the film. It should not be eaten for two reasons: it is too dense and bitter.
  5. The slice is placed on a hard surface and the film is opened from the narrow part. Then they stretch. It easily separates from the sides and bottom, releasing the pulp.


The cleaning procedure seems troublesome, but this is an exaggeration. Sheddock slices are much larger than orange ones, there are not so many of them, and the thick film can be removed without problems.

Regardless of the method of cleaning fruits, there are common points:

  1. First, the fruit is thoroughly washed and doused with boiling water to remove chemicals or bacteria from the peel. At the same time, it will soften and will be easier to clean.
  2. The peel of the exotic is thick and loose, so you don’t have to calculate the depth of the cut down to the millimeter.
  3. To clean the fruits, it is better to take a deep container. If the juice runs out, it can be used.

When freeing the pulp from the film, do not press hard on it so that the juice does not leak out.


How to eat pomelo

There is no debate about what sheddock tastes like. This is a sweet and sour grapefruit, but without obvious bitterness.

How to eat pomelo is up to everyone to decide for themselves. Fresh exotic fruit has edible pulp. The films around the segments and the seeds are thrown away. The peel is suitable for consumption in processed form.

Fresh

The slices, peeled from films, can be placed in a bowl and eaten immediately - with a spoon or fork.

But it is better to use them as a component of dishes. The list of everything that can be created from the pulp or juice of an exotic plant is endless. They are used to prepare traditional dishes or those containing orange or grapefruit. Pomelo is placed instead of them to get new taste sensations.

Here are some examples:

  1. Chicken fillet salad (the meat is grilled or fried in olive oil) with grated cheese, salad greens, croutons and nuts. It will taste completely different if you season it with pomelo pulp.
  2. Fruit desserts. Any combination of other fruits can be taken: bananas, kiwi, pineapples, pears, apples. Flavored with ice cream, whipped cream, yogurt or condensed milk. Children especially love to eat this dish.
  3. Pomelo juice is the basis for marinade for poultry meat. Salt and spices are added to the juice: pepper, cloves, cardamom. Chicken or turkey fillet is marinated in the mixture.
  4. The juice is added to traditional fruit cocktails.

Fresh pomelo is never flavored with sugar: this kills the exotic taste.


Dried and in the form of dried fruits

Dried or dried pomelo is presented in supermarkets as packaged half-moon slices of pulp with peel. Green, fairly hard pieces with a moderately rich aroma are considered high-quality. The taste is sweet and sour, plus a slight bitterness and tartness in the aftertaste.

The product is good in many ways. This is a healthy snack at work and at home. It’s nice to eat it just like that or add it to baked goods, desserts, and salads.

In a cool, dry place it can be stored for up to a year, which is especially valuable during the off-season of fresh exotics.

The calorie content of dried pomelo is three times higher than its fresh counterpart (90-95 kcal per 100 g), but is considered a dietary product.

Contraindications or harm are the same as for fresh exotics: individual intolerance or stomach diseases. But a piece a day is acceptable.

How to eat exotic foods for children

It is critical to eat exotic foods correctly when it comes to children.
Pediatricians believe that pomelo can be given to children no earlier than one and a half years old. Especially if dad or mom has allergies.
For the first tasting, a few drops of juice before lunch are enough. If there is no rash, swelling of the throat, or other alarming symptoms, the fruit can be eaten two to three times a week.

Before giving pomelo to a child of any age, consult your pediatrician.

For a child under three years old, 50 g of pulp (2-3 slices) is enough, for older children - 100 g.

Dishes made from processed pomelo

Sweet lovers like to eat jam made from the pulp of sheddock. If exotics were brought personally or by friends (that is, not from a supermarket), you can make a preparation from the peel. Many people feel sorry for throwing it away: it contains a lot of useful things and takes up a significant part of the total mass of exotics.

Pomelo pulp jam.
The slices, cleared of films, are broken and covered with sugar (two-thirds of the pulp mass). When everything is saturated with juice, cook for five to seven minutes and cool. Place into jars.

Fruit peel jam.
Procedure:

  1. The zest is cut into pieces, filled with water, and left for five to six days. The water is changed twice a day.
  2. On the sixth or seventh day, the zest is boiled in water and drained. Boil again and drain.
  3. The peel is poured with a mixture of 250-300 ml of water and 400-500 g of sugar, left for 12-14 hours.
  4. Then bring to a boil, simmer over low heat for 22-25 minutes, cool. Repeat three times.

You can eat the jam.
The peel is dried, dried or candied and added to baked goods, meat and fish dishes.

How to store pomelo at home

The skin-coat and unripeness of the fruits make it possible to preserve them at home. The shelf life of pomelo is determined by whether there are proper conditions, whether the fruit is whole or cut.

For ripening

Almost always they bring us unripe fruits: ripe specimens cannot withstand transportation. In order for the exotic to ripen and be pleasant to eat, a favorable microclimate is created:

  • The fruits need room temperature (+18-20°C).
  • You cannot pack fruit, otherwise the air flow will be blocked.
  • The presence of other fruits nearby is undesirable: next to them, sheddock ripens at a record pace.
  • Store in a place inaccessible to sunlight: this will cause the exotic to dry out or deteriorate.

The shelf life and juiciness of the pulp are increased by lightly rubbing the fruit with vegetable oil and wrapping it in parchment or other paper without printing ink.
After two to three weeks, you can eat the ripened fruits.


cut broom

In its purified form, the exotic remains fresh for two to three days. It is better to pack it in cling film or a plastic container.

It is wise to dry the pulp or slices. In a dark, dry place with air circulation (cellar, closed kitchen cabinet) they are stored for months without compromising their taste and beneficial properties.

How to store pomelo in the refrigerator

Exotics can be stored in a refrigerator or cellar-type room for up to six months.

The main thing is to ensure a temperature background: the “severe” it is, the faster the fruits will dry out. The optimal mode (+1-9°C) is created in the fruit compartment of the refrigerator.

The freezer is not suitable for storing pomelo: the thawed exotic pulp becomes a tasteless “porridge”.

Conclusion

A good time to buy pomelo is January or February. This is the peak of fruit imports from Southeast Asia. Then they are the juiciest and freshest. However, you should not lose vigilance when choosing.

You can eat exotics any way you like. And experiment in the kitchen, creating culinary masterpieces from familiar dishes.

Pomelo is considered an exotic fruit for our latitudes. This fruit belongs to the citrus family. China is considered the birthplace of this fruit. Today, pomelo comes to the shelves of our supermarkets from all Asian countries. The product has several varieties that differ in appearance and taste characteristics. Some people believe that pomelo is a type of grapefruit. It's completely the opposite. It was from one of the varieties of pomelo that grapefruit was grown, which is significantly inferior in size. In order for the body to experience maximum benefits from consuming pomelo, it is important to buy a ripe fruit. But how to choose the right broom?

External characteristics

First of all, when choosing, we always pay attention to the appearance of a particular product. To begin with, it is worth saying that a pomelo can have different colors. In our stores, depending on the variety, you can find the following fruit colors:

  • Green;
  • Yellow;
  • Orange.

So you should not think that the green fruit is incorrect, unripe. As for its size, it is quite impressive. The average ripe fruit reaches 30 cm in diameter. In terms of weight, such a broom will weigh up to 1 kg. But there are representatives that are much larger. Thus, in its homeland in China there are fruits weighing up to 10 kg. Such large brooms, as a rule, are not imported to us.

When choosing a pomelo, special attention should be paid to the peel. It should always be thick, elastic, dense. If you notice any dents or softness, you should not choose such a fruit. The peel of a ripe pomelo always has a natural shine. The color of the peel should be extremely uniform. A slight blush in some orange areas of the fruit is allowed. It is better to eat this pomelo in the coming days and not store it for a long time.

If you notice small burgundy specks on the surface of the peel, there is no need to choose such citrus. This may indicate the presence of nitrates in it. Also, such spots indicate non-compliance with the rules for storing and transporting exotic citrus. Some supermarket owners try to give the product a marketable appearance by rubbing it with special solutions. This helps hide some imperfections. When choosing such a citrus, you will always notice this fact - it will be sticky and the shine will be unnatural.

There is one secret when choosing the right ripe pomelo. So, you need to lightly press on the top of the fruit. If it is slightly soft, but still elastic, the fruit is of ideal ripeness. Such a fruit will have a sweetness and pleasant taste. It is also worth noting that the peel of a good ripe citrus will have a slightly tart aroma. Any growths on the correct citrus should be absent.

Quality of ripe pomelo pulp

Having already chosen a pomelo, you can also determine its quality by the pulp of the product. So, when cutting a citrus fruit, there should be a fairly dense film between the peel and the pulp of the fruit. This partition should be white or slightly yellow. The shape of the citrus itself is predominantly round. The difference between a pomelo and an orange or grapefruit is the pronounced fibers of the pulp. The number of seeds in the pulp depends entirely on the type of citrus.

Considering the color of the pulp, the variety also plays a big role here. Thus, orange-colored citrus always has bright orange, almost red pulp. In terms of color characteristics, it completely coincides with grapefruit fruits. If the pomelo is yellow or green, the flesh will also be a light yellow shade. If you find dark spots or dull shades, it is better not to use this pomelo. This may indicate the beginning of the rotting process. Externally, this can be hidden under special packaging.

Properly ripe citrus is quite difficult to peel. But, having done this, the citrus slices should separate very easily. At the same time, they remain hard and elastic. Excessive softness and excessive release of juice are unacceptable. As a rule, when a pomelo is correctly selected based solely on external characteristics, the flesh remains elastic, juicy, and brightly colored. It is worth noting some features of product storage.

So, pomelo cannot be frozen. At too low temperatures, almost all beneficial properties are lost. But you can preserve it. In world culinary practice, they make marmalades, jams and preserves from the peel and pulp of pomelo. It is worth noting that ripe fruit can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 months. But as soon as you clean it, it starts to dry out. You need to eat this citrus in the next couple of days. Now, knowing how to choose the right pomelo, we can say with confidence that the citrus will bring maximum benefit to the body.

Pomelo is an exotic fruit native to China. Despite the fact that it appeared in Russia relatively recently, many people have already managed not only to study it in theory, but to truly appreciate the beneficial properties of pomelo in practice.

First of all, this fruit is characterized by a very high content of microelements and vitamins. Pomelo is especially rich in potassium, which is essential for the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system. Pomelo also promotes the digestion of proteins and their more complete absorption. Thanks to this, the feeling of hunger is satisfied much faster and does not return for longer than usual. All this makes pomelo simply an indispensable food product for people who are actively and relentlessly fighting excess weight. However, all these wonderful properties are characteristic only of well-ripened fruit. Therefore, you need to be able to choose the right broom. Let's talk about how to choose the right broom.

Size and weight

First of all, the broom is assessed according to its dimensions and weight. The fruit should not be too large, rather medium in size. But at the same time it must have a large mass. A specimen that is too light will probably have little pulp inside. There have been cases when very large fruits contained pulp the size of a tangerine. So you shouldn’t choose a broom by size; it’s better to evaluate it comprehensively - by the combination of volume and weight.

Smell

Next, you need to smell the fruit. As a matter of fact, if you have a high-quality ripe pomelo in your hands, then it is not at all necessary to bring it to your nose - the pleasant aroma emanating from it should be felt even at some distance. In this case, the smell will certainly be pronounced and rich. This fruit will definitely be sweet.

Color

The fruits of different varieties of pomelo can have different colors - the most common are green or yellow varieties. In this case, the fruits of green varieties should not have any inclusions on the surface. Meanwhile, a yellow pomelo may appear with an additional greenish tint. Nothing wrong with that. However, the greenery must be uniform; if it is present on the skin in the form of separate shapeless spots, then this is a clear sign of poor quality.

But stains of red, brown or burgundy colors are a sign that the fruit is affected by a specific disease of tropical fruits. In principle, this infection is not dangerous for human health, however, it is still not worth buying such a fruit, since it will probably not be sweet, but dry and insipid in taste. And its beneficial properties will be an order of magnitude lower than those of a healthy specimen.

Skin condition

Just like in humans, the appearance of fruit can tell a lot about the state of internal fulfillment. A healthy, well-ripened pomelo should have a smooth, dense and shiny surface. Defects such as scratches, dents or, conversely, bulges are not allowed. And it doesn’t matter what their origin is - natural or the reason for their appearance was a careless attitude during the transportation process.

At the same time, the skin should be soft to the touch - this indicates that it is quite thin. A fruit with a too thick surface layer, as a rule, turns out to be dry inside and has an unpleasant taste. In addition, such specimens contain many large seeds, which is also not very good.

Fruit apex

The condition of the top of the pomelo is a very indicative parameter of its quality, so it is worth paying closer attention to it. Firstly, there should be no growths of any kind on it; the crown should be as smooth as the surface of the rest of the fruit. Secondly, a fragment of the apex with a radius of approximately 1 cm from its center must be very hard. The rest of the fruit is usually soft enough, but not so soft that it can be crushed with your fingers. Such excessive softness indicates that the fruit is overripe, and this has a bad effect on its taste and beneficial properties.

Storage

Finally, let’s say a few words about the proper storage of pomelo. This is very important, since the fruits of this fruit, as a rule, are large in size and therefore most often they are not eaten in one go, but tend to prolong the pleasure. Meanwhile, experts do not recommend leaving the cut pomelo even in the refrigerator. In this state, the fruit pulp quickly dries out and, along with moisture, loses its original taste. However, this is not so bad, because bacteria begin to multiply on the inner walls, which makes the broom even dangerous.

But uncut fruit can be quite safely stored out of the refrigerator for up to several days. In this case, the dense skin acts as a reliable protection for the pulp, protecting it from premature spoilage.

Pomelo is a fruit that, despite its prevalence in stores, has failed to gain the popularity of its citrus “brothers.” But lately, pomelo has been making up for lost time, increasingly appearing on the tables of our compatriots. And here comes the most interesting thing - some consider this fruit very tasty, others swear off ever buying it again. The difference of opinion is mainly due to how correctly the broom was chosen. How to determine a truly successful fruit?

How to choose a pomelo? Varieties

Unlike the usual oranges or grapefruits, pomelo is fraught with a “mystery”: under the thick peel there can be hidden pulp completely different in both color and taste. This feature is associated with the variety to which the fruit in question belongs. There are several main ones on the market:

Variety Pomelo shape Peel color Flesh color Taste
Khao horn irregular circle green-yellow white sweet
Khao namphung pear-shaped yellow-green white with yellow tint sweet
Khao paen flattened-spherical greenish yellow white juicy-sweet with slightly pronounced sour and bitter notes
Khao phuang oblong-pyriform green, green-yellow yellow-white juicy and sweet, has a slight sourness
Thongdi large ball dark green pink juicy-sweet

The American variety Khao paen has one distinctive feature that should not be feared: the pomelo may have a slightly wrinkled peel, which is formed due to long-term storage, but is in no way associated with spoilage of the fruit. In this case, it is typical to harvest from underdeveloped fruits and then ripen them on the counter.

It is best to sample several different fruits, empirically calculating which one you like the most. Many people note that pomelo with pink flesh has a particularly good rich taste, but you should trust solely your feelings.

Some people refuse to buy pomelo because of its very thick peel - they say, why pay more for the inedible part. Such a statement has no significant basis, since the weight of the skin is too insignificant to talk about serious damage to the wallet.

Pomelo: how to choose? Signs of a ripe fruit

It is very easy to choose a ripe and tasty fruit - just touch it:

  • a very hard and dense fruit with a slightly elastic peel must definitely end up in the grocery basket, since this is the type of pomelo that will be ripe;
  • a fruit with a soft skin that can easily be pressed with fingers belongs to the category of stale goods. Overripe pomelo has a characteristic “cotton” taste and excessively large seeds;
  • the presence of seals on the peel is a sign of unsuitable growing conditions and improper storage of the fruit.

It is especially recommended to press your finger on the top of the broom. If it turns out to be slightly soft, but intact, then such a fruit will be much tastier than a completely hard and unyielding one. But you should avoid bending it in the other direction: a top that is too soft indicates the presence of internal rot, which obviously will not make the pomelo more appetizing.

Although a quick “palpation” is enough to identify a successful fruit, many buyers prefer to conduct a full “examination” of the fruit, consistently assessing its following qualities:

  1. Smell. It should be pronounced and, naturally, pleasant. It is generally accepted that the richer the aroma, the sweeter the fruit will be. But there is a catch - pomelo is almost always sold packaged in a thick film, smelling anything through which is not a task for the average nose.
  2. Weight. All other things being equal, it is recommended to give preference to the heavier fruit, as it will be juicier and tastier. Light pomelos almost always turn out to be dry and inedible. The minimum weight to be guided by is 1-1.5 kg.
  3. Characteristics of the peel. In addition to the fact that it should be hard and elastic, it should also be smooth and slightly glossy (of course, when we are not talking about the aforementioned Khao paen). But if the peel directly “shines,” this means that it was treated with chemical wax to preserve the presentable appearance of the fruit.
  4. Peel color. It is a mistake to believe that yellow skin is better than green: as a rule, in this case only the difference in varieties affects it. But the peel should not have burgundy-reddish dents or other marks (even small ones!) that distinguish low-quality fruit.

Most often, pomelo is brought from China, Thailand, Vietnam, and India. But there is no point in focusing on the country: it is much more important that the fruit is ripe - in this case, it will certainly delight the buyer with its excellent taste.

 

 
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