Packed with fresh herbs, and crunchy peanuts, this pomelo salad is nutritious and delicious. It has the perfect combination of sweet, sour, savoury, and spicy flavours.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
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What is Pomelo?
Pomelo, the largest citrus fruit, is a tropical delight packed with a unique blend of sweet, tangy, and slightly bitter notes. Originating from Southeast Asia, Pomelo is known for its high vitamin C content, refreshing taste, and slightly floral aroma. In the Indian subcontinent, it is called Chakotra in Hindi.
It looks very similar to grapefruit, but both taste and texture differ.
Pomelo tastes delicious in salads with fresh herbs, crunchy vegetables, and a zesty dressing.
Why You’ll Love This Pomelo Salad
- has zero added oil/fat
- vegan and gluten-free
- healthy, low-calorie salad
- rich in vitamin C and antioxidants
This pomelo salad recipe is inspired by the popular Thai dish Yam Som-O – a sweet, spicy, and savoury salad that showcases the unique flavour of pomelo.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pomelo adds a sweet, citrusy flavour and a juicy texture. Its mild sweetness balances the spiciness of the dressing.
- Fresh Herbs are the hero in this salad recipe. From garlic scrapes, kaffir lime leaves, chives, green onion, and Thai basil to cilantro or mint, either of the combinations works deliciously.
- Fresh Green Chilli or Thai Bird’s eye chilli for the spicy kick.
- Roasted Peanuts give the much-required crunch to the pomelo salad
- Palm Sugar or Jaggery Powder balance the spiciness deliciously.
- Lime Juice enhances the flavour of the dressing and balances heat.
Optional Ingredients: Shrimp Paste, Carrot, Red Chilli Flakes, Cherry Tomato, Roasted Coconut, Thai Red Chilli Paste, Fish Sauce, or Grilled Prawns.
How To Make Pomelo Salad
Prep Pomelo
- Peel the outer thick layer of pomelo (see how to peel pomelo fruit in the recipe) leaving just the skin.
- Gently discard the skin and the white seeds. Collect only the pink pulp in a bowl.
Prepare Dressing
- Add garlic, chilli, coriander stalks, mint, sugar, and salt to a stone mortar.
- Crush with a pestle and make a coarse paste using a tablespoon of water.
- Add lime juice. Stir to combine. Salad Dressing is ready!
Assemble Salad
- Add pomelo pulp, crushed peanuts, and chopped fresh herbs in a mixing bowl.
- Add green dressing and mix gently using your hands or a spoon.
- Pomelo Salad is ready to serve!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can add finely chopped cucumber, cherry tomato, thinly sliced carrot or pomegranate.
It is not recommended. Pomelo starts turning bitter with a few hours of cutting and peeling. Hence, it is best to make it fresh each time.
I am afraid you can’t substitute grapefruit for pomelo in this salad recipe. Pomelo’s subtle flavour and texture are the soul of this salad recipe.
More Salad Recipes
- Lentil Salad
- Chickpea Salad
- Pineapple Salad
- Crispy Noodle Salad
- Green Papaya Salad
- Healthy Cabbage Salad
- Smashed Cucumber Salad
Get all my Salad Recipes here and you can watch the videos on Instagram.
Pomelo Salad Recipe
- Salad Mixing Bowl
- Mortar and Pestle
Ingredients
Ingredients For Salad Dressing
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 green chilli (medium spicy)
- 2 sprigs fresh mint leaves
- handful of coriander stalks
- 1 tablespoon jaggery powder or sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Ingredients For Salad
- 1 large size pomelo
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts, crushed
- 1 tablespoon spring onion, finely chopped
- Handful of coriander leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Peel the outer thick layer of pomelo (see how to peel pomelo fruit in the recipe) leaving just the skin.
- Gently discard the skin and the white seeds. Collect only the pink pulp in a bowl.
- Add garlic, chilli, coriander stalks, mint, sugar, and salt to a stone mortar. Crush with pestle and make a coarse paste using tablespoon of water.
- Add lime juice. Stir to combine. Taste, if its too spicy add more sugar. Salad Dressing is ready!
- Add pomelo pulp, crushed peanuts, and chopped fresh herbs in a mixing bowl.
- Add green dressing and mix gently using your hands or a spoon.
- Pomelo Salad is ready to serve!
Recipe Notes:
- Adjust the amount of chillies based on your taste preference. I like the spicy kick in my salad so sometimes I add two of them.
- Substitute jaggery with palm sugar or light brown sugar.
- Pomelo starts tasting bitter after a few hours, hence after peeling do not leave it unattended.
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