Easy Thai Pomelo Salad – Yam Som-O with Lime
Refreshing Thai Citrus Salad Featuring Pomelo Segments, Pounded Lime-Chili Paste, Toasted Coconut, and Crunchy Peanuts
This easy Thai pomelo salad pairs bittersweet citrus segments with a vibrant, hand-pounded dressing made from garlic, chilies, palm sugar, coriander, lime juice, and fish sauce.
The secret is pounding the aromatics in a mortar and pestle to release their essential oils, creating a rich dressing that seasons the fruit without turning the salad watery. Enjoy the recipe!
Recipe
- Prepare Pomelo: Cut off the top cap of the pomelo, score the thick pith vertically, peel away the rind, and extract the clean fruit vesicles into a large bowl. Add the sliced kaffir lime leaf ribbons.
- Pound Aromatics: In a stone mortar, grind garlic, bird’s eye chilies, palm sugar, chopped coriander, and optional dried shrimp for 2–3 minutes until a coarse paste forms.
- Mix Dressing: Pour the fish sauce (or salt) and fresh lime juice into the mortar, stirring with the pestle until smoothly blended into a savory-sour dressing.
- Toss & Garnish: Pour the dressing over the pomelo just before serving, gently stir to coat, and top with toasted coconut flakes, fried shallots, and crushed roasted peanuts.
💡 Chef Notes & Tips
- Choosing a Pomelo: Select a pomelo that feels surprisingly heavy for its size, which indicates the internal vesicles are packed tight with sweet juice.
- Vegan Adaptation: Omit the dried shrimp entirely and substitute the fish sauce with ½ teaspoon of fine sea salt or a splash of light soy sauce.
