This northern Thai salad uses pomelo to give it a sweet/tart flavor. Different varieties of pomelo are available in Thailand. Some have pink flesh and others have yellow. Serve the salad with sticky rice and eat it as soon as it is ready.
Ingredients: (Serves 4)
- 1 large pomelo
For the dressing:
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon chili jam
- 300 g/10 oz raw medium shrimps (prawns), peeled and deveined, tails intact
- 3 tablespoons shredded fresh coconut, lightly toasted until golden (if fresh unavailable, use shredded desiccated)
- 3 Asian shallots, finely sliced
- 5 bird’s eye chillies, bruised
- 1 large handful mint leaves
- 2 small handfuls cilantro (coriander) leaves
- 1 tablespoon fried Asian shallots, to serve
Method:
To peel a pomelo, first, slice a circular patch on the top of the fruit, about 2 cm/¾ inch deep (roughly the thickness of the skin). Next, score four deep lines from top to bottom, dividing the skin into four segments. Peel away the skin, one quarter at a time. Remove any remaining pith and separate the segments of the fruit. Peel the segments and remove any seeds. Crumble the segments into their component parts, without squashing them or releasing the juice.
To make the dressing, combine the fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and chilli jam in a small bowl and stir.
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the shrimps and cook for 2 minutes. Drain and allow the shrimps to cool.
In a large bowl, gently combine the pomelo, shrimps, toasted coconut, shallots, chilies, mint and cilantro. Just before serving, add the dressing and toss gently to combine all the ingredients.
Serve sprinkled with fried shallots.