Konatsu is one of my favourite citrus fruits.

The Konatsu fruit looks like a round lemon and the rind, when cut or squeezed to release the oils smells a bit like a grapefruit (not as strong) and a bit like grass. One of my daughter, smelling the fruit said, “It smells like heaven.” If this is what heaven smells like, I’ll be mighty pleased if and when I get there.

When peeled, Konatsu has a soft white pith around the fruit segments. The cut fruit again resembles a lemon, but it is a bit softer than a lemon. The fruit is very juicy and would be much easier to juice than a lemon.

A big difference between Konatsu and other citrus fruits is in the pith that surrounds the juicy fruit. Usually, when eating citrus fruit the white pith is removed because it is tough, tasteless or bitter. But with the Konatsu the pith helps the taste of the fruit. That’s because the white pith is actually sweet-tasting.

The picture above shows a Konatsu peeled and then cut up. The fruit itself is sour, but not as sour as a lemon. However, when eaten with the pith, the flavours balance and it is delicious.

Should you ever be lucky enough to find this fruit in a market, buy it! Remember not to take off all of the white pith and you will be rewarded with a most delicious fruit.