Pomelo Marmalade, Iraqi Style

The pomela is a greenish-yellow citrus fruit that looks like a huge grapefruit. Two main differences. 1. It is really delicious.

2. It has an extremely thick, bitter rind. So thick that you might be dissuaded from buying it in the first place, having to throw away half of it.

But think again – that thick rind can make a delicious marmalade. Here’s how.

First thing is to remove the outer green skin from the entire fruit. Use a strong paring knife or peeler.

Then you cut the thick rind (without cutting through the pomelo) into six segments and peel them away as close to the fruit as possible.

Then you put the segments in a pot with water, bring to a boil and let cool. The rinds will swell up (I love it when they do that!).

When they have cooled off, you squeeze out the excess water (not wring them dry though).

Replace the water, bring to boil, let cool, squeeze again.

These two boil-and-squeeze cycles help get rid off the bitterness. You need to trust me on this. I’ve taken short cuts and ended up with beautiful but inedible marmalade.

Add some more water, bring to a boil again (third time), allow to cool. This time just squeeze them a bit. Now is the time to cut the segments into small cubes.

Add as much sugar as you like (white, brown or a mixture).

And a few thingies of clove (or cardamom pods, if you prefer).

Simmer a while, mixing constantly. You might want to add a bit of water to prevent burning.

Cool. Can. Cap.

Let me know how it turns out. It’s great with

yogurt, toast, and full-strength tahini. One pomelo yields a whole jar. Enjoy!

This recipe uses exclusively pomelo rinds. If you want pulp and juice, here is a recipe from the LA Times.