Description
A refreshing and vibrant Thai Grapefruit Salad featuring juicy grapefruit and mango combined with a zesty, spiced vinegar dressing. This crisp, flavorful salad is accented with aromatic star anise, cinnamon, and orange blossom water, topped with crunchy peanuts, sesame seeds, and fresh watercress for a perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and savory flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing
- 4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup sugar (the finer the better)
- 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
- 2 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1-inch fresh ginger, peeled and cut into very thin strips
- 1 red chili, deseeded and cut into thin strips
Salad
- 2 large grapefruit, peeled and cut into small pieces
- 1 mango, diced
- 2 cups watercress
- 2 teaspoons peanut oil
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 2 teaspoons black or white sesame seeds (or both!)
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing: Combine the rice wine vinegar and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk together until the sugar is mostly dissolved to create a smooth base for the salad dressing.
- Add aromatic flavors: Stir in the orange blossom water, star anise, cinnamon stick, fresh ginger strips, and thinly sliced red chili into the vinegar mixture, allowing the flavors to meld.
- Marinate the grapefruit: Gently add the peeled and chopped grapefruit pieces to the dressing and stir carefully to coat. Let this mixture marinate for 30 minutes to infuse the fruit with the aromatic spiced flavors.
- Drain and reserve liquid: After marinating, remove the star anise and cinnamon stick from the mixture. Drain the grapefruit pieces, reserving two tablespoons of the marinade liquid for later use.
- Assemble the salad base: Toss the drained grapefruit with fresh watercress, diced mango, peanut oil, and lime juice until evenly combined. Arrange this mixture on a large serving plate.
- Finish and garnish: Drizzle the reserved marinade over the salad, then top with thinly sliced shallot, mixed black and white sesame seeds, roasted peanuts, and a pinch of salt to enhance texture and flavor.
Notes
- Use a finer sugar such as caster or superfine for easier dissolving in the vinegar.
- Adjust chili quantity according to your preferred spice level.
- Ensure to peel the grapefruit thoroughly to remove the bitter pith for best taste.
- The lemon juice can be substituted with fresh lime juice if preferred for a more authentic Thai flavor.
- Roasted peanuts add crunch, but you can use cashews or almonds if desired.
- For a vegan option, confirm the peanut oil and other ingredients meet your dietary requirements.
