Post Mid-Autumn Festival Pomelo

Pomelo is considered the largest citrus fruit. It tastes like grapefruit, and is about four times bigger than a grapefruit. It’s a popular fruit in southern Chinese culture especially in Mid-Autumn Festival. People like to eat it, or decorate with it, or put it on altar at home.

I have had a pomelo before the festival and it has stayed home for several weeks. I eat pomelo only when it’s in good condition and my pal, wouldn’t eat at all, so I have figured out how to deal with it.

It’s said that Cantonese are good at discover delicacy, I believe so. Eating pomelo peel can prove it. Pomelo peel is a very special food ingredient in traditional Cantonese cuisine. However, it takes hardship to prepare so it’s hardly seen in any Cantonese restaurant for many years. The peels need to be soaked and poached for a long time to eliminate the bitterness. This might take hours even overnight.

After this, the peels will be braised or steamed with fatty meat, or in a more luxury way, cooked with dry seafood. The spongy peels can absorb the flavour of meat and seafood while keeping the freshness of its citric taste. Thus, I stuffed the pomelo peels with pork mince and dry prawn and steamed them.

For the flesh, I made a jar of pomelo syrup and kept in fridge. With soda water or water, it can be a refreshing morning drink.