Pomelo Salad

This recipe, adapted from Hot Sour Salty Sweet, originally calls for pomelos, but can be easily adapted with Ruby Red, or Rio Star grapefruits. Served with butter lettuce, it makes a delightful midday meal.

Serves 2-4 depending on sides

3 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon palm, or brown sugar
1 pomelo, or 2 medium grapefruit
2 tablespoons dry-roasted grated coconut
2 tablespoons dry-roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
1/2-1 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
2-3 bird, Thai, or Serrano chiles, finely chopped, or to taste
Bibb, or butter lettuce, cleaned for garnish

In a small bowl mix together fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar. Blend until sugar has completely dissolved. Set aside.

Peel the pomelo or grapefruit, then cut out segments of fruit, leaving behind the bitter pith. Place the fruit in a bowl, reserving the juice from the fruit in another bowl.

In a dry skillet, over medium heat, roast both the coconut, and the peanuts until toasty, and light brown in color. Chop the peanuts after roasting if necessary.

Salad should be fully assembled just before serving. Add the roasted peanuts and coconut, the shallots, chiles, mint, and pomelos to a large bowl and toss. Pour the lime dressing over, and continue to toss. Taste and adjust seasoning, if the dressing is too pungent, add a bit of the reserved grapefruit juice.

Serve immediately on a bed of lettuce.