Fresh, zesty, with a bit of a kick - this is one of my favourite Thai salads. Juicy pomelo, crispy shallots, toasty bits and that classic Thai combo of salty, sweet, sour and spicy. Here's how to make it at home.
Category
Lunch
Servings
4
Prep time
15 minutes
Cook time
5 minutes
Fresh, zesty, with a bit of a kick - this is one of my favourite Thai salads. Juicy pomelo, crispy shallots, toasty bits and that classic Thai combo of salty, sweet, sour and spicy. Here's how to make it at home.
Ingredients
- 1 pomelo
- 2 tsp peanut oil
- 2 shallots, finely sliced
- ¼ cup dried shrimp
- 1 lemongrass, white part only, finely shredded
- 2 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
- ¼ cup peanuts, toasted, chopped
- ⅓ cup shredded coconut, toasted
- ½ cup mint leaves
- 1 long red chilli, finely sliced
- 3 dried birdseye chillies
- 1 tbsp palm sugar, grated
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 3 tsp fish sauce
Dressing
Directions
Remove rind and pith from pomelo and segment. Break up into small pieces and transfer to a large bowl.
- Heat oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Cook shallots for 5 minutes, stirring, until softened and starting to brown. Set aside to cool.
- Dry fry the shrimp in a small frying pan on medium high, until fragrant. Transfer to a spice grinder and blend or pound in a mortar and pestle.
- For the dressing, dry fry the chillies in a small frying pan over medium heat until starting to colour. Transfer to a spice grinder and grind to a powder. Measure out ¼-½ tsp of powder (depending on your spice heat preference) then reserve the rest for another use.
- Pound the palm sugar in a mortar and pestle with the lime juice, until dissolved, then stir in fish sauce and the chilli powder.
- Pour dressing over pomelo, then add shallots, shrimp powder, lemongrass, lime leaves, peanuts, coconut, mint and chilli.
- Toss until well combined, then serve immediately.
Recipe video
Recipe notes
Q: What can I use instead of pomelo?
A: Grapefruit’s a good sub - go for pink or ruby red for sweetness, but keep in mind it’ll be a bit more bitter.
Q: Can I make this ahead of time?
A: You can prep everything earlier, but don’t toss it all together until just before serving. Keeps it fresh and crunchy.
Q: What if I can’t find dried shrimp?
A: You can skip it, or swap for a small amount of fish sauce in the dressing for that umami hit.
Q: Is this salad spicy?
A: It can be! The chilli powder in the dressing packs heat, so adjust to your liking. Start small and add more if you’re brave.
Q: Can I make it vegetarian?
A: Yep, ditch the dried shrimp and fish sauce. Use soy sauce or a vegetarian fish sauce alternative.
Q: How do I segment a pomelo?
A: Cut off the top and bottom, slice down the sides to remove the thick skin, then break into segments and peel off the membrane.
