Thai Pomelo Salad (Yum Som-O) with Prawns
For the dressing
5 lime juice
2 tbsp fish sauce or light soy for vegetarians
2 tbsp palm sugar
2 tsp tamarind paste
For the salad
1 just-ripe avocado
1 shallot (finely sliced)
1 red bird’s-eye chilli, finely shredded (deseeded if you don’t like it too hot)
1 pomelo
250 gm large cooked prawns
A small pack fresh coriander, leaves only (torn)
2 tbsp toasted salted peanut (roughly chopped)
Method
Pull apart the pomelo, retaining any juice for the salad.
Put 4 tbsp juice into a small pan with the fish/soy sauce, sugar and tamarind paste. Bring to a simmer for 2 minutes, or until thick and syrupy, then leave to cool.
Halve, stone, then slice avocado, and toss with the shallot, chilli and remaining juice. Mound into bowls with the pomelo flesh, prawns and coriander. Spoon over the sticky dressing, then scatter with the chopped peanuts.
— As told to Namita Gupta
