Thai Pomelo Salad with Grilled Prawns

Not only do I enjoy the flavors of Thai food but also the ingredients used carry medicinal benefits. In the past, local healer’s studied the effects of natural conditions which brought on various physical ailments. They counteracted them with natural products that offered the opposite effect: cooling herbs or fruits for an imbalance of heat, for example. Thailand is hot year round but gets even hotter during the summer months and the Thai’s use a sweet and bitter combination to help cool the body. Tamarind, oranges, pineapples and watermelons are all effective. Greasy or spicy foods only heat up the body. Durian and longans may be tempting but to eat these fruits have similar consequences to that of spicy foods. The Thai’s aren’t the only people who use food for medicinal purposes but for today’s dish my focus is on this country.

The Pomelo looks like a thick-skinned, over sized grapefruit and is sweeter than the normal grapefruit. Peel and separate pomelo segments. Remove membranes and gently flake the flesh. If using grapefruit, choose Ruby Red and drain excess juice.

Serves 4 (as a side dish)
1 large pomelo
300g prawns
6-8 long (12″) bamboo skewers (soaked in water for 30 minutes first)
Half an English cucumber, seeds removed and julienned
1 small tomato cut in half and cut into thin wedges
1 cup loosely packed mint leaves
1/3 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, finely chopped

Dressing
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
salt and pepper to taste
1 – 2 tablespoons palm sugar or brown sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce

Toppings
Fried garlic chips
Crispy Shallots

Place pomelo flesh in a bowl. Thread prawns on a skewer and grill 2 to 3 minutes until pink, turning once or twice . Remove the prawns from the skewers and let cool. Slice each prawn in half length ways and add to the bowl with the pomelo. Add the rest of the salad ingredients and toss.

Combine the dressing ingredients and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until well mixed. Transfer the salad to a large serving platter and sprinkle with the fried garlic chips and crispy shallots on top.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: This is an absolutely delicious salad! Freshness exudes here and your palate won’t know what to do with all the exciting flavors exploding in your mouth! Enjoy!