Pomelo Salad

The pomelo earned the name Citrus Grandis because of its incredible size. It ranges from grapefruit to basketball. This ancestor of the grapefruit is not bitter but sweeter and somewhat peppery in taste. Here, they are now in season. Harvested from November till June. Pomelos grow beautifully in dry semitropical climate like in places of Arizona, California, Florida and also Texas. Mostly available now at Asian and Latin stores.

It is easy enough to peel buy cutting about 1/4 of an inch deep across the fruit from top to bottom in 6 segments. The pith is rather thick and fluffy so you need to remove it to get the juicy sacs of the pomelo. I carefully peel off all the layers with a sharp knife without damaging the delicate fruit.

You can eat them as they are or in salads. Many enjoy eating pomelo for its pulpous sweet juice sacs that burst in your mouth, like pomegranate arils. I prepared some sensational salad from Thailand and Vietnam with different ingredients you will like. I toss the chunks of pomelo in a simple dressing of lime juice, palm sugar and fish sauce plus some warm water. All ingredients to taste or you can also use tamarind juice, honey and sea salt diluting with a little warm water too. Add a bit of cayenne pepper powder if you want to spice it up a little. I put 1 teaspoon or so of dressing for each serving and toss lightly before adding the garnishes and other ingredients.

This salad is with greenish fried plantain match sticks for extra crunch and garnished with crispy shallots and garlic.

Butterflied shrimps were aded to this salad with the same garnish.

This one is with shredded cucumber and cilantro leaves garnished with crisp shallot and garlic. You can also put minced roasted peanuts, cashews or toasted coconut flakes for that tropical flavor. Enjoy!