Pomelo is like a giant, sweet grapefruit. When you get a good pomelo..few things are more refreshing and invigorating to eat! It's also the perfect candidate for this beautiful, light salad, and I waited a long time to make this recipe cuz I wanted to make sure I am in Thailand where pomelos are the best in the world!
In this video I also show you how to peel a pomelo! It's a massive fruit so it is intimidating to many people, and tons of Thai people (including me) often buy pre-peeled ones just for convenience. But once you know the trick, it's really not hard—it just takes a bit of time!
Watch The Full Video Tutorial!
All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials with extra tips not mentioned in the blog post, so make sure you watch the video below to ensure success - and if you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!
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Pomelo Salad (Yum Som-O) ยำส้มโอ
- Yield: Serves 2-3 as an appetizer
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1 Tbsp palm sugar (see note)
- 1½ Tbsp lime juice (see note)
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- Thai chilies, to taste
The Salad
- 2 cups Pomelo, torn into chunks (see how to peel a pomelo in the video)
- 3 Tbsp shredded coconut, dark toasted
- 2 Tbsp roasted peanuts, coarsely ground
- 2 Tbsp dried shrimp, blitzed in a blender or coffee grinder until fluffy
- 3 Tbsp shallots, thinly sliced
- 2 kaffir lime leaves, very finely julienned
- 2 inches lemongrass, bottom half only, very thinly sliced
- ¼ cup mint leaves
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves (optional)
- Wild betel leaves for serving (optional)
- Option: If you want to make the salad a bit more substantial, some people top the salad with some cooked shrimp as well.
Note: The measurements I provided is for a pomelo that is relatively sweet and not very tart. You will need to adjust the dressing measurements according to the sweetness/tartness of the pomelo. If the pomelo is quite tart, use more sugar and less lime juice.
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Instructions
In a mortar and pestle, grind the chilies into a paste, then add palm sugar and pound until dissolved. Add fish sauce and lime juice and swirl to mix.
Pour the dressing into a mixing bowl, then add all other ingredients and toss to combine. That's it! You can serve it as is or serve some wild betel leaves (chaploo leaves) along side it which you can use to make little bit-sized wrap of the salad.
Tip: Peeled pomelo segments will keep in the fridge for at least a week or 2, so after I peel the whole thing, I just stick them in a well sealed container in the fridge, et voila, ready-to-eat delicious pomelo in the fridge for days! And pomelo is so much better cold, too!
Alison Joy Quartaro says
This is a delicious recipe. It does require prepping several ingredients but it is totally worth it and otherwise not difficult at all. Be sure to add the dressing at the last moment to ensure the salad doesn't get soggy. Leftover salad is not great.
Meiling says
Made this today and it turned out perfectly. Similiar to eating in an authentic Thai restaurant. Thank you! 🙂
Daniel says
I clearly must have done something wrong, but I followed the recipe to a T. It was so so bitter and the clashing of flavors made it almost inedibly strong. I love Thai cuisine and am so confused what this is supposed to taste like. Hopefully I'll get to try this is a restaurant one day. I love you and your recipes!
Pailin Chongchitnant says
It is possible that it was the pomelo itself that was bitter. Some pomelo, if they are not good, are bitter. Did you try the fruit by itself?
Roz says
This is the closest recipe to my favorite Thai restaurant here in the Philippines. I am so happy to have found this and I will definitely make them again. I could eat this all day!
May says
Hi Pai, thanks for the clear demo. I am going to make it for 40 people. I will add cooked prawns. Of course we have other dishes too. Need your advises:
1) I cannot get palm sugar, can I use brown or monk fruit sugar?
2)Do you think 3 big pomelos is good enough?
Thanks
Pailin Chongchitnant says
You can use light brown sugar instead, I don't recommend monk fruit, however. 3 big pomelos would probably work for 40 ppl since you're adding shrimp and have other dishes.
Andrew Uden says
Thank you Pailin! Fabulous recipe and so easy to follow due to your clear presentation!
Jacques Then says
I finally made this dish. The ratio and ingredients you shared were spot on. The result was exactly the taste and texture I remember and enjoy. Although it is a simple mix and toss recipe, the prep work is exhausting. Peeling the Thai red pomelo, blending the dried shrimps till fluffy, toasting the freshly grated coconut, toasting the peanuts and then removing the skins, and finely slicing the shallots, lemongrass and lime leaves.. I used 2 red and 2 green small Thai chilies so the heat was present and bearable in a good way. As a pain junkie, as if the prep work was not enough, I also pan seared scallops as a seafood topping as I was hosting guests. It was the most popular dish, completely cleaned out. Thank you Pai. Love it!!!
soyee says
I made this many many times. Super delicious. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
Robert Mishaan says
My first time using pomelo. I followed the recipe faithfully and was rewarded with a tasty dinner. I added some large shrimp to make it a more filling dish.
Tamara Sawitzki says
Just as lovely as we had it in Thailand - it has exactly the same ingredients like the one I fell in love with. I had it whenever I could get it! So full of flavors…
Thanks for the wonderful recipe ;D
Piers Storey says
Awesome!