Pomelo (citrus maxima) is an original fruit which not only looks like a very large grapefruit but tastes like a mild and slightly sweet one too. It’s a native to Southeast Asia, hence this deliciously salty and sweet Thai style salad. The pomelo I bought weighed 1.13 kilos (2½ lbs)!
Heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and fry 2 finely diced brown shallots and 2 finely diced fresh red chillies until the shallots are soft. Add ½ a cup of coconut milk and bring to boil. Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of dark soy (caramel) sauce, 1 tablespoon of Thai fish sauce and 500g (a little over 1 lb) of thinly sliced pork. When the pork is cooked, remove it to a plate to cool and reduce the remaining liquid until only 1-2 tablespoons are left. Peel the pomelo and remove all of the pith, breaking it into small pieces. When the pork and sauce are cooled, combine them with the pomelo and ½ a bunch of chopped fresh coriander (cilantro).
In contrast to the sweet pork and pomelo this apple and bean salad is sharp and refreshing.
Make julienne of 2 large green apples, ½ a large cucumber and 6-8 radishes. Combine with 200g of thinly sliced green beans. In a small food processor or mortar and pestle combine 3 cloves of garlic, a pinch of salt, 2 – 4 fresh red chillies, 2 tablespoons of dried shrimp and 3 tablespoons of roasted peanuts. Process or pound into a coarse paste then add 1 large chopped tomato, 2 tablespoons of palm sugar, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, a heaped teaspoon of tamarind paste and 1½ tablespoons of fish sauce and process briefly. Combine with apple mixture and allow it to rest for 10 minutes or more before serving.
michelle picker cooks 