No need to be intimidated by the large and in charge pomelo! It looks like a mammoth grapefruit, and it tastes similar to a grapefruit, yet it’s slightly sweeter and not as bitter. Simply remove the thick rind and peel the membrane from around the segments.
If you want to get fancy, you can use a sharp paring knife to “supreme” the segments into sharp, gorgeously pink wedges. After that, pomelo segments can be eaten on their own, enjoyed in salads, salsas, or even cooked into jam. My advice is to keep it simple with pomelos, much like with grapefruit. The more you heat it, the more you compromise the gentle flavor. I especially love to separate out all the little juice pods from each other, a task that sounds much more difficult than it actually is.
The result is a pile of light pink, caviar-like gems, bursting with juice and flavor. They are perfect as a garnish on both sweet and savory dishes, and they look lovely floating in a cocktail too.
Refreshing, on-trend, and healthful, this salad will leave your taste buds wanting more! Make the dressing ahead of time and allow it to meld in the fridge to really develop the flavor.
Whisk brown sugar and 1 Tbsp. water in a medium bowl to dissolve sugar. Whisk in chiles, garlic, lime juice, and fish sauce; season with salt. Check for seasoning. It should be salty and fresh.
Toast coconut in a dry small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
Heat oil in same saucepan. Add half the purple onions and fry, swirling, until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Add the peanuts and cook for another minute. Transfer to paper towels with a slotted spoon to drain; season with salt.
Remove peel and white pith from pomelos. Tear membrane off and pull segments into large pieces, transferring to a large bowl as you go. Add cilantro and mint, and half of dressing and toss to coat. Add coconut, peanuts, and dried shrimp; toss again.