My easy Thai pomelo salad (yum som-o) is super-simple to make, and is a deliciously refreshing example of the Thai flavour cycle of hot, sour, salty, and sweet.
½large red chilli, minced (more if you’re not a chilli wimp like me!)
1teaspoonfresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
Equipment
Wok
Food processor
Instructions
Make the dressing
Dry-roast the dried red chilli in a wok over a high heat for a couple of minutes, and set aside to cool. Chop into pieces.
Place the onion, roasted chilli, and 1 clove garlic into a small food processor attachment, and blitz for a few seconds to make a smooth-ish paste.
Put the paste into to a small saucepan, and add the palm sugar, lime juice, tamarind pulp, and vegan fish sauce; simmer until the sugar has dissolved. This should take around 5 mins.
Taste - you want a balance of hot, sour, salty, sweet. If necessary, add little more sugar, lime, tamarind, or vegan fish sauce to get the right balance.
Set aside to cool.
Make the salad
Dry roast the coconut for around 2 mins until it begins to turn golden-brown. Set aside to cool.
Do the same with the peanuts. Once cool enough to handle, chop finely.
Fry the shallots and garlic for 5 mins or so in hot oil until crispy, then set aside to cool on kitchen paper.
Put the pomelo flesh into a large mixing bowl, then with your hands, gently mix with the minced fresh chilli, peanuts, coconut, half of the fried shallot & garlic, and enough dressing to generously coat everything. You don't want to drown the salad though.
Serve immediately, sprinkled with chopped fresh coriander leaves, and the rest of the fried shallot and garlic.
This yum som-o doesn't store particularly well, so it's best eaten within a couple of hours of making it.