Pomegranate

Pomegranates are striking fruits — crack one open and you find hundreds of ruby-red arils packed tightly inside a honeycomb of bitter white pith. Each aril is a tiny parcel of sweet-tart juice surrounding a small edible seed. The flavour balances sweetness with a bright, tannic acidity.

Pomegranates feature prominently in Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Indian cuisines. The arils are scattered over salads, dips like hummus, and grain dishes for bursts of colour and flavour. Pomegranate molasses — a thick, tangy reduction of the juice — is a key ingredient in many regional dishes.

In Australia, pomegranates are in season from March to May. They keep well at room temperature for several weeks or refrigerated for longer. Choosing a heavy fruit for its size is the best indicator of juiciness.

Farmed
photograph to come — from twenty years of markets, farms and kitchens

How it's made

Pomegranates are grown on small, deciduous trees that thrive in warm, dry climates. The fruits develop over several months and are harvested by hand when the rind has developed full colour and the arils inside are plump and deeply pigmented. The fruit does not continue to ripen after picking, so timing the harvest is important.

Nutrition (per 100g)

Energy 83kcal
Protein 1.7g
Carbs 14.7g
Fat 1.2g
Fibre 4g Sugar 13.7g
Mass Distribution

1 pomegranate (4" dia) is about 282 g — roughly 230 kcal of this.

What it costs the planet (per kilo)

Carbon ≈0.5kg
Freshwater ≈130L
Land ≈0.4

≈ Estimated — worked out from a category-typical value further up its supply chain. Where this comes from →

Where it comes from

In the kitchen

Used as

fresh fruit garnish

Goes well with
Classic dishes
  • Fesenjan
  • Fattoush
  • Pomegranate Raita
  • Winter Grain Salad

Keeping it

In the freezer: 300–360 days.

In the fridge: 30–90 days (from date of purchase).

In the pantry: 2–5 days (from date of purchase).

Advice from Cubud’s own keeping notes — how to keep it, not a measured number.

Keeping one at home? Track yours in your cubud →

Where this data comes from

Nutrition data from

USDA

How it was calculated

SR Legacy

Full credits, licences, and methods: the sources page →

Where to next

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