Batabi lebu known as pomelo in English is a citrus fruit with a thick green outer covering. The pulp inside may be yellowish white or pink in color, when ripe tastes sweet. But some may taste sour and bitter. This vitamin C rich citrus fruit is loaded with goodness. It’s good for our skin, hair, as well the high potassium content is good for the heart too. This anti-oxidant rich fruit is great for fighting urinary tract infection. One can eat the pulp of the fruit directly or fresh juice can be prepared.

In a Bengali household pomelo or batabi lebu is very common as a fruit. Being a seasonal fruit, it’s available after the monsoon in India, though not for long. I personally love this fruit, provided it’s ripe and naturally sweet. Frankly it’s too simple to be noted down as a recipe but the beautiful pink pulp of the fruit forced me to pick up the camera and click. As you can understand the images were clicked when the fruit was in season, due to my absence from blogging I’m posting the details now.

Guess the largest citrus fruits in the world. Well it is right at the backyard of your households! It is fondly called as Batabi Lebu (Batabi lemon) in Bangali. The fruit is also called as Jambura in many states of India. The western name of this citrus fruit is Pomelo or Citrus maxima (means “the biggest citrus”). This is the largest citrus fruit from the family Rutaceae and the principal ancestor of the grapefruit.

But did you know that our humble Batabi lebu is the forefather of modern day’s Orange? Well yes, the orange is a hybrid between pomelo (Citrus maxima) and mandarin (Citrus reticulata). The chloroplast genome, and therefore the maternal line, is that of pomelo. So, Orange is not a pure fruit and not of European origin but a hybrid.

However, the word ‘Batabi’ is not an Indian word and the origin of this citrus fruit is not from our land. The word Batabi is probably a modification of the word “Batavia”, which is the old name of Jakarta and it indicates that its origin is the Indonesian island Java where Jakarta lies. The fruit is also known as jabong in Hawaii and jambo in many countries at South East Asia. In Nepali, it is known as “bhogate”.

Pomelo or Batabi Lebu is usually pale green to yellow when ripe with sweet white to pink pulp and a very thick rind. The tree usually produces a large number of flowers in spring, but most of them fall off so that the remaining flowers can bear fruit. In Bengal, common varieties of the fruit are Krishnagar 1, Krishnagar 3, Assembly and Duncan Omorse. It can be grown on a wide range of soils but rich sandy loam soils are ideal.

Jambura or Batabi Lebu is rich in powerful antioxidants like vitamin C. It also contains protein and fiber, which can aid digestion and help you feel full for a longer period of time after eating. It’s also rich in several other vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, including copper, fiber, and potassium.

So, next time you look at the backyard plants, do think about their fascinating origin, history, contribution to our world. Also, let us remember that the fruits that gets glossy promotion need not be the best one. Jambora / Batabi is a pure fruit, than Orange.