In Thai, “yum som-o” means “pomelo salad,” according to Pim Techamuanvivit, author of “Cooking Thai,” a new cookbook out Tuesday, Aug. 25. The chef behind Michelin-starred restaurants Kin Khao and Nari in San Francisco, Techamuanvivit says she adapts this salad to fit with whatever citrus is in season.
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“It never fails to please dinner party guests,” she says. “Feel free to play, too: This recipe is a formula for crafting your own rainbow. For instance, substitute other kinds of basil or soft green herbs for the ones called for here. For a summery version, feature nectarines, plums and other stone fruits in place of the citrus.”
INGREDIENTS
For the dressing:
1/4 cup lime juice
3 tablespoons fish sauce or Japanese white soy sauce
1 pinch of Thai palm sugar or light brown sugar
2 to 4 fresh Thai chiles, chopped (seeded if you like), plus more for garnish
For the salad and garnish:
2 small blood oranges
1 Cara Cara orange
1 navel orange
2 large or 4 small mandarin oranges, tangerines or clementines
2 small shallots, thinly sliced (about 1⁄3 cup)
3 tablespoons toasted unsweetened dried coconut flakes, gently crumbled
3 tablespoons fried shallots
2 tablespoons chopped salted or unsalted roasted peanuts (optional)
Leaves from a few mint, shiso, Thai basil or lemon basil sprigs, or a combo
DIRECTIONS
Ready the dressing: In a small bowl, stir together the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and as much chile as you like. It is important to taste the sauce because the acidity of lime juice, saltiness of fish sauce and sweetness of palm sugar vary. The ideal dressing tastes tart, salty and just a little sweet, in that order. Avoid adding too much sugar now when using all sweet citrus in the salad.
Prep the citrus: Using a knife or your fingers, peel the citrus by hand or with a sharp paring knife. Slice crosswise into rounds about ¼ inch thick. Aim for a total of about 3 cups prepped citrus. Remove any seeds that are present. Arrange the citrus beautifully — interspersing different colors and sizes — on a serving platter.
Assemble the salad and serve: Pour all the dressing over the citrus, then sprinkle on the sliced shallots, coconut, fried shallots and peanuts (if using). Add the herbs, tearing the leaves as needed. Finish with some chile for extra fire. Serve immediately to avoid the salad becoming watery and diluted in flavor.
Note: Make the dressing up to 1 day ahead. Several hours before serving, peel and slice the citrus and refrigerate.
Reprinted with permission from Cooking Thai by Pim Techamuanvivit with Andrea Nguyen, copyright © 2026. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Photographs copyright © 2026 by Ed Anderson.
