Chinese New Year is around the corner and l love to reminisce about recipes I had as a kid. There was this dish that my grand parents used to make using the pomelo rind. It was interesting but also really tasty. I think I have tried making this a couple of times but it never tasted the same. There are so many recipes that I wish I learned from my grandparents.

You can find pomelos in many supermarket and they taste almost like a grapefruit but less tart. I was lucky this year to try different types of pomelo – honey pomelo, pink pomelo, red and white. I think my favorite was the honey one.

For this recipe, you will need to peel the pomelo in large pieces. Do this by scoring the skin to make it easier to peel.

The peel has a thick white pith. This is the part you will be using.

First you will need to peel the skin and leave only the white.

Cut up into large chunks.

Boil the pith in water until soft. Drain, squeeze out the water. This will help to remove the bitterness. Soak the cooked pith in cold water overnight.

Squeeze the remaining liquid. Mine started falling apart. Maybe a cooked it too long or I squeezed it too hard. I am not sure.

The pith at this time will have no flavor. It will absorb the flavor that you add to it. I remember when my grandpa would cook this with fatty pork belly and soy sauce.

In a pot add soy sauce, rock sugar, sesame oil and ginger. Bring this to a boil and add the pith to it. Simmer for about 10 min and then let sit for at least an hour.

Serve as a side to your meal. It adds a saltiness and soft mushy texture. I think I would cook the pith less to retain some of the texture.

This wasn’t as good as my grandparents version but it still brought me memories. I hope you get to try this dish next time you eat a pomelo.

Braised Pomelo Rind – inspired by https://kwgls.wordpress.com/2015/09/28/braised-pomelo-pith-%EF%BC%88%E5%8D%A4%E6%9F%9A%E5%AD%90%E7%9A%AE%EF%BC%89/

• one pomelo skin
• 3 tbsp dark soy
• 3 tbsp sesame oil
• 3 slices of ginger
• 1 medium piece of rock sugar or 2 tbsp brown sugar

Peel your pomelo and save the skin. Peel the outer layer and save the white pith. Cut into large pieces.

Place in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer until soft. Drain and squeeze the remaining water. Place in a container and cover with cold water. Soak for a couple hours or over night and drain and squeeze again. You can repeat this process to remove the remaining bitterness.

To make the braising liquid, add the soy, sesame oil, ginger and sugar. Bring to a boil, add the drained skin and simmer for 10 minutes. Allow the rind to marinade in this liquid for at least an hour.

Enjoy this as a side with your meals. Try changing the marinade to add different flavors.

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