Packed with fresh herbs, and crunchy peanuts, this pomelo salad is nutritious and delicious. It has the perfect combination of sweet, sour, savoury, and spicy flavours.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
- What is Pomelo?
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How To Make Pomelo Salad
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Pomelo Salad Recipe
What is Pomelo?
Pomelo, the largest citrus fruit, is a tropical delight packed with a unique blend of sweet, tangy, and slightly bitter notes. Originating from Southeast Asia, Pomelo is known for its high vitamin C content, refreshing taste, and slightly floral aroma. In the Indian subcontinent, it is called Chakotra in Hindi.
It looks very similar to grapefruit, but both taste and texture differ.
Pomelo tastes delicious in salads with fresh herbs, crunchy vegetables, and a zesty dressing.
Why You’ll Love This Pomelo Salad
- has zero added oil/fat
- vegan and gluten-free
- healthy, low-calorie salad
- rich in vitamin C and antioxidants
This pomelo salad recipe is inspired by the popular Thai dish Yam Som-O – a sweet, spicy, and savoury salad that showcases the unique flavour of pomelo.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pomelo adds a sweet, citrusy flavour and a juicy texture. Its mild sweetness balances the spiciness of the dressing.
- Fresh Herbs are the hero in this salad recipe. From garlic scrapes, kaffir lime leaves, chives, green onion, and Thai basil to cilantro or mint, either of the combinations works deliciously.
- Fresh Green Chilli or Thai Bird’s eye chilli for the spicy kick.
- Roasted Peanuts give the much-required crunch to the pomelo salad
- Palm Sugar or Jaggery Powder balance the spiciness deliciously.
- Lime Juice enhances the flavour of the dressing and balances heat.
Optional Ingredients: Shrimp Paste, Carrot, Red Chilli Flakes, Cherry Tomato, Roasted Coconut, Thai Red Chilli Paste, Fish Sauce, or Grilled Prawns.
How To Make Pomelo Salad
Prep Pomelo
- Peel the outer thick layer of pomelo (see how to peel pomelo fruit in the recipe) leaving just the skin.
- Gently discard the skin and the white seeds. Collect only the pink pulp in a bowl.
Prepare Dressing
- Add garlic, chilli, coriander stalks, mint, sugar, and salt to a stone mortar.
- Crush with a pestle and make a coarse paste using a tablespoon of water.
- Add lime juice. Stir to combine. Salad Dressing is ready!
Assemble Salad
- Add pomelo pulp, crushed peanuts, and chopped fresh herbs in a mixing bowl.
- Add green dressing and mix gently using your hands or a spoon.
- Pomelo Salad is ready to serve!
Yes. You can add finely chopped cucumber, cherry tomato, thinly sliced carrot or pomegranate.
It is not recommended. Pomelo starts turning bitter with a few hours of cutting and peeling. Hence, it is best to make it fresh each time.
I am afraid you can’t substitute grapefruit for pomelo in this salad recipe. Pomelo’s subtle flavour and texture are the soul of this salad recipe.
More Salad Recipes
- Lentil Salad
- Chickpea Salad
- Pineapple Salad
- Crispy Noodle Salad
- Green Papaya Salad
- Healthy Cabbage Salad
- Smashed Cucumber Salad
Get all my Salad Recipes here and you can watch the videos on Instagram .
Ingredients
Ingredients For Salad Dressing
- ▢ 1 garlic clove
- ▢ 1 green chilli (medium spicy)
- ▢ 2 sprigs fresh mint leaves
- ▢ handful of coriander stalks
- ▢ 1 tablespoon jaggery powder or sugar
- ▢ ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ▢ 1 tablespoon lime juice
Ingredients For Salad
- ▢ 1 large size pomelo
- ▢ ¼ cup roasted peanuts, crushed
- ▢ 1 tablespoon spring onion, finely chopped
- ▢ Handful of coriander leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Peel the outer thick layer of pomelo (see how to peel pomelo fruit in the recipe) leaving just the skin.
- Gently discard the skin and the white seeds. Collect only the pink pulp in a bowl.
- Add garlic, chilli, coriander stalks, mint, sugar, and salt to a stone mortar. Crush with pestle and make a coarse paste using tablespoon of water.
- Add lime juice. Stir to combine. Taste, if its too spicy add more sugar. Salad Dressing is ready!
- Add pomelo pulp, crushed peanuts, and chopped fresh herbs in a mixing bowl.
- Add green dressing and mix gently using your hands or a spoon.
- Pomelo Salad is ready to serve!
Recipe Notes:
- Adjust the amount of chillies based on your taste preference. I like the spicy kick in my salad so sometimes I add two of them.
- Substitute jaggery with palm sugar or light brown sugar.
- Pomelo starts tasting bitter after a few hours, hence after peeling do not leave it unattended.
Nutrition
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Pomelo Salad Recipe
Equipment
- Salad Mixing Bowl
- Mortar and Pestle
Ingredients
Ingredients For Salad Dressing
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 green chilli (medium spicy)
- 2 sprigs fresh mint leaves
- handful of coriander stalks
- 1 tablespoon jaggery powder or sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Ingredients For Salad
- 1 large size pomelo
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts, crushed
- 1 tablespoon spring onion, finely chopped
- Handful of coriander leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Peel the outer thick layer of pomelo (see how to peel pomelo fruit in the recipe) leaving just the skin.
- Gently discard the skin and the white seeds. Collect only the pink pulp in a bowl.
- Add garlic, chilli, coriander stalks, mint, sugar, and salt to a stone mortar. Crush with pestle and make a coarse paste using tablespoon of water.
- Add lime juice. Stir to combine. Taste, if its too spicy add more sugar. Salad Dressing is ready!
- Add pomelo pulp, crushed peanuts, and chopped fresh herbs in a mixing bowl.
- Add green dressing and mix gently using your hands or a spoon.
- Pomelo Salad is ready to serve!
Video
Notes
- Adjust the amount of chillies based on your taste preference. I like the spicy kick in my salad so sometimes I add two of them.
- Substitute jaggery with palm sugar or light brown sugar.
- Pomelo starts tasting bitter after a few hours, hence after peeling do not leave it unattended.
Nutrition
A guide for beginners to perfectly stock up an Indian spice box with essential spices for everyday cooking.
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
- What is Masala Box?
- Additional Spices for Everyday Indian Cooking
- Frequently Asked Questions
What is Masala Box?
An Indian spice box, or “masala dabba,” is a culinary staple in Indian kitchens, holding the foundational spices that give Indian dishes their unique colour and taste. This round, often stainless steel container usually has small compartments to hold essential spices
Every region, household, and even individual cook has slight variations in their essential spices, but certain staples are ubiquitous.
Here is a spice box guide to help you learn about essential Indian spices and their uses in detail.
Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
- Flavour Profile : Warm, earthy, and slightly bitter
- Culinary Use : Turmeric is known for lending its signature yellow hue to dishes like dal and curry .
Red Chili Powder (Lal Mirch)
- Flavour Profile : Hot, spicy, with varying levels depending on the type of chilli used to make the powder.
- Culinary Use : Chilli powder adds heat and a vibrant red colour to dishes. It’s used in everything from Indian curries and lentils to vegetable stir-fries.
Coriander Powder (Dhania Powder)
- Flavour Profile : Mildly citrusy and earthy
- Uses : Ground Coriander is a staple in curries and spice blends, contributing a mild flavour that balances stronger spices.
Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
- Flavour Profile : Warm, earthy, with a slightly nutty taste
- Uses : Cumin seeds are often toasted in hot oil for tempering (tadka). They’re used in lentils, curries, and raita . Ground Cumin (powder) is also a commonly used spice in Indian cooking.
BlackMustard Seeds (Rai)
- Flavour Profile : Slightly pungent, sharp, and tangy when fried.
- Uses : These small, black seeds are often added to hot oil to release their flavour. Mustard seeds are common in South Indian cooking like sambar , rasam , lemon rice etc.
Dried Red Chillies (Sookhi Lal Mirch)
- Flavour Profile : The main feature of dried red chillies is their heat, which can vary widely depending on the variety. Indian varieties like Kashmiri or Byadgi chillies are milder and add gentle warmth, while others like Guntur and Mathania can be quite hot.
- Uses : Dried red chillies are commonly used in tempering Indian dishes like Kadhi , Toor Dal , Curd Rice etc. When fried in oil or ghee along with mustard seeds, cumin, and other spices, they release their flavour and infuse the oil, which is poured over dals, curries, and vegetable dishes.
Split White Urad
- Flavour Profile : Nutty with a subtle sweet aroma
- Uses : Added sparingly in tempering South Indian dishes like coconut chutney , coconut rice , upma and so on. Urad Dal needs to be fried in oil/ghee to get the crunchiness.
Garam Masala
- Flavour Profile : Aromatic, warm, and slightly sweet with a complex flavour
- Ingredients : Garam masala is a blend of spices, mainly including cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, coriander, pepper, and other whole spices.
- Uses : It is one of the most common seasonings for Indian dishes. Often added at the end of cooking, garam masala enhances the aroma and flavour of the dish. It’s a versatile spice mix used in curries, rice dishes, kebabs, and even in marinades.
Additional Spices for Everyday Indian Cooking
- Cinnamon (Dalchini) is added to infuse the oil or in spice blends like garam masala, chai masala , and so on.
- Green Cardamom (Elaichi) is a sweet and aromatic spice added to Indian desserts , biryani , meat dishes , curries, and to make other spice blends.
- Black Peppercorns (Kali Mirch) are black gold from South India. It imparts intense aroma, depth, and heat to foods.
- Cloves (Laung) lend a slightly sharp taste and aroma to Indian dishes. It is often used to make a variety of spice mixes.
- Fenugreek Seeds (Methi dana) are small yellow seeds with a bitter taste often added to tadka.
- Bay Leaves (Tej Patta) are used to infuse the oil while cooking.
- Star Anise (Phool Chakra) is famed for its distinct dried flower-like shape, sweet aroma, and delicious savoury taste.
- Coriander Seeds (Sabut Dhaniya) are mainly added to spice blends.
It is best to store smaller quantities in the masala spice box. The remaining spices you can store in airtight glass or steel bottles. I would not recommend using plastic bottles for storing spices.
Although spices do not go bad, over a period of time they lose their flavour or aroma. Ground spices lose their flavour more quickly than whole spices. So it is a good idea to get whole spices in larger quantities and then make ground spices or spice blends in smaller amounts.
The best place to keep your spices is in a pantry or kitchen cabinet that maintains a room temperature and is protected from direct sunlight, moisture or humidity.
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