Published by: Gourmet Sleuth Last Updated: 03/02/2014
The pomelo was most likely from Malaysia and Indonesia where it grew wild. It is also presumed to have been grown by the Chinese for thousands of years.
The pomelo pronounced [pom-EH-loh] is also found spelled pommelo. Thought to be the ancestor of the grapefruit. This giant citrus (citrus grandus) fruit is native to Malaysia (where it still grows abundantly). It is also cultivated in California and Israel. Most of the varieties found today have been bred and grown. A large pomelo is the largest of all citrus. They can grow to be as large as a foot in diameter and up to 25 pounds. The rind is very thick but soft and easy to peel away. The resulting fruit is light yellow to coral-pink flesh and can vary from juicy to slightly dry and from seductively spicy-sweet to tangy and tart. The pomelo is also known as a shaddock