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You are here: Home / Appetizers & Sides / Easy Thai Pomelo Salad (spicy, cool, & crunchy!)

Easy Thai Pomelo Salad (spicy, cool, & crunchy!)

Published: Oct 1, 2018 · Updated: May 3, 2020 · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

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Easy Thai Pomelo Salad
Thai Pomelo salad pinterest image
close up shot of Thai pomelo salad

Sweet, citrus-y pomelos are paired with the spicy heat of the tiny Thai bird chile and a Thai fish sauce dip in this winter inspired pomelo salad. 

Thai Pomelo Salad on an oval white plate with a fork.

Thai Pomelo salad is sweet, savory, and refreshing. The addition of toasted chopped peanuts adds crunch and texture to the dish.

This salad would pair nicely alongside some Thai curry mussels, basil chicken, or some French alpine wine.

What are Pomelos?

Pomelos, sometimes spelled pummelos, are a winter citrus fruit. Unlike oranges, they are a bit more difficult to find year round. 

I find them seasonally in the farmers market when blood oranges and cara cara oranges are on display in the rainy winter months.

close up shot of Thai pomelo salad

Similar to the sweet and sour flavors of a grapefruit, the flavor of pomelos is more muted, less bitter, and not as drippy and wet. 

The pulp stays perfectly contained within each tiny pulp pod making it an ideal ingredient for presentation purposes. 

A pile of green pomelos on a red table cloth on a street in Thailand.

Thai pomelos are sold on a street in Bangkok, Thailand. Pre-peeled wedges of fruit are also conveniently sold prepackaged on styrofoam trays for 25 Thai baht (about 80 cents US).

Perhaps the most difficult part of this recipe is peeling the fruit.  In Thailand, they often sell pomelo on the street pre-cut, peeled, and packaged on styrofoam trays (as pictured above). 

In order to peel your own pomelos, it is a matter of getting your fingers within the white skin membrane and hand tearing away. 

Knife work will only go so far and merely segmenting with a paring knife will not do. 

Time to put those fingers to work to gently peel away the connective membrane to unveil the rosy pink pulp inside. 

You will end up with some intact wedges and some chunks of flesh, either of which works for this salad. 

Key Ingredients

The dressing for this Thai pomelo salad is the ubiquitous fish sauce dip, used on many Thai dishes, with a combination of fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and fresh chopped chili.

Top with fresh torn mint leaves and chopped peanuts for color contrast and crunch.

Since pomelos are so refreshing, this would make a palate-cleansing first course, before moving on to the next richly flavored one.

pomelo salad on a white plate

How to make Thai Pomelo Salad

Step 1: Make dressing & chop garnishes

Slice the shallots and chili and squeeze your fresh lime.

Whisk together the fish sauce, honey, water, chili, shallot, and lime juice in a bowl and set aside.

The dressing will keep for days and also works very nicely as a dip for fresh spring rolls or fried egg rolls.

Before your hands get messy from the pomelo, now would also be the time to chop your mint and peanuts if you are using them.

Step 2: Peel pomelo

The top of a pomelo is sliced off on a wooden cutting board.

Peeled pomelo and skin on a wooden cutting board. Peeled pomelo on a wooden cutting board.

 

 

 

 

One white plate of whole, peeled pomelo wedges, and one white plate of torn pomelo flesh.

The hardest part of this dish is peeling the pomelo, including the white membrane surrounding each wedge. Since the pomelo does not leach juice, it is not terribly messy to do at home.

There’s no real easy way to go about this except to get in there with your hands and start tearing away animal style.

Peel away the outer rind as you would an orange.

Then start ripping open the tough white membrane to reveal the supple pink flesh.

Whether you can remove the whole wedge as a single supreme or in pieces, any size will work.  Arrange them onto your serving platter.

Step 3: Dress and serve

Pour the dressing over the pomelo.  Garnish with chopped mint and peanuts if using.

Wine pairing

Thai pomelo salad on a white plate in front of a bottle and glass of Bonny Doon White Wine.

Thai Pomelo salad pairs nicely with a rhone white wine that captures the zestiness in the citrus fruit.

Bonny Doon 2015 De Propio Gravitas White (North Coast)

This Bordeaux style blend composed of 64% Sémillon and 36% Sauvignon Blanc is from the famed Bonny Doon vineyard in the Santa Cruz mountains of California.  Founded by Randall Graham in 1983, it was one of the first wineries in the US to embrace Rhone varietals.  This wine is at once crisp, soft, and slightly acidic.

The citrus notes work well with the pomelo, and the wine is versatile enough to accommodate the slight heat from the Thai bird chili.

This wine also pairs nicely with an Alpine fresh, Jacquere French wine.

Tips to make it better @home

  1. The pomelos can be peeled well in advance since the juice does not leech out of the pulp.  Prepare a few hours or the day before.
  2. Similarly, make the fish sauce dip ahead of time.  Keep in the fridge and use it as an alternative salad dressing or dip for fried or fresh spring rolls.
  3. Other variations of this salad feature ground pork, baby shrimp, shredded carrots, coconut milk, fried shallots, fried garlic, and tamarind.  If you have them, feel free to add them to the party.

Refreshing, juicy Thai appetizer

Cool, refreshing, and bursting with juicy flavors, this pomelo salad is waiting to come alive in your mouth.  Give pomelos a try.

For another similarly flavored Thai salad, check out this Thai Winged Bean Salad.

Easy Thai Pomelo Salad
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Thai Pomelo Salad

Sweet, citrus-y pomelos are paired with the spicy heat of the tiny Thai bird chile and fish sauce dip in this Thai pomelo salad. Cool, refreshing, and bursting with juicy flavors, this pomelo salad is waiting to come alive in your mouth.  
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine Thai
Keyword fish sauce, pomelo
Prep Time 20 minutes
Servings 2
Calories 222kcal
Author Asian Test Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 1 pomelo peeled into individual segments

Fish Sauce Dip

  • 2 Tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tsp honey or brown sugar
  • 1/2 Tbsp water
  • 1 ea Thai bird chili or 1/2 a jalapeno or other chili
  • 1 tsp lime juice
  • 1 ea small shallot thinly sliced

Garnish

  • 4-6 leaves mint torn by hand or chiffonade thinly sliced
  • 3 TB peanuts toasted and chopped

Instructions

  • Mix together fish sauce dip ingredients. Make ahead up to 1-2 days, stored in the refrigerator.
  • Peel pomelo and remove all white membrane. Arrange sections on a serving platter.
  • Spoon over fish sauce dip, and top with garnish of mint and peanuts.

Notes

  1. The pomelos can be peeled well in advance since the juice does not leech out of the pulp.  Prepare a few hours or the day before.
  2. Similarly, make the fish sauce dip ahead of time.  Keep in the fridge and use it as an alternative salad dressing or dip for fried or fresh spring rolls.
  3. Other variations of this salad feature ground pork, baby shrimp, shredded carrots, coconut milk, fried shallots, fried garlic, and tamarind.  If you have them, feel free to add them to the party.

Nutrition

Calories: 222kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1519mg | Potassium: 808mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin C: 187mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @agiletestkitchen or tag #agiletestkitchen!

P.S. Do you love citrus fruit?  Please spread the Asian ♥ and share!

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