Thai Pomelo Salad - Yum Sum-O

by Anthony Solimini

Fresh, bright, crunchy, and packed with flavor, this Thai Pomelo Salad is one of my favorite warm-weather dishes. Sweet pomelo, toasted coconut, roasted peanuts, fresh herbs, and a punchy lime dressing come together for a salad that’s refreshing enough for a Phoenix summer and impressive enough for company.

If you’ve never had pomelo before, think of it as grapefruit’s sweeter, less bitter cousin.

Serves

3

Dressing

  • 1 Tbsp palm sugar (or light brown sugar)
  • 1½ Tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 2 tsp fish sauce
  • Thai chilies, finely chopped, to taste

Make the Dressing

In a small bowl, combine the palm sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, and chilies. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Taste and adjust as needed.

Tip: If your pomelo is tart, add a little more sugar and reduce the lime juice slightly.

Salad

  • 2 cups pomelo segments, gently torn into bite-sized pieces
  • 3 Tbsp shredded coconut, toasted until golden
  • 2 Tbsp roasted peanuts, coarsely crushed
  • 2 Tbsp dried shrimp, finely ground until fluffy
  • 3 Tbsp shallots, thinly sliced
  • 2 kaffir lime leaves, very finely sliced
  • 2 inches lemongrass (bottom portion only), sliced paper-thin
  • ¼ cup fresh mint leaveS
  • Optional: 6-8 cooked shrimp for a heartier version

Directions

  1. Place the pomelo in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Add the toasted coconut, peanuts, dried shrimp, shallots, kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, mint, and cilantro.
  3. Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss until everything is evenly coated.
  4. Transfer to a serving platter or individual plates.
  5. If using cooked shrimp, arrange them on top.
  6. Serve immediately, optionally with wild betel leaves.

Uncle A’s Tip

A light sprinkle of Uncle A’s Asian Spice over the cooked shrimp before adding them to the salad creates an amazing sweet-spicy contrast with the citrus and herbs. Just don’t add the spice directly to the salad itself—the traditional Thai flavors are already perfectly balanced.

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Because life is too short to eat boring salads.

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