Fruit & Shrimp Salad - Yam Polamai
Submitted by Anna_46
Yam Polamai is a Thai fruit and shrimp salad with lime, crispy shallots, garlic, peanuts, and chile. Sweet, salty, sour, and crunchy in every bite.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
3 minREADY
20 minYam Polamai is a Thai-style fruit salad that pulls off the four-pillar balance Thai cooking is known for: sweet (the fruit), sour (lime), salty (the shrimp and salt), and that gentle building heat from fresh red chile. Add fried shallots and garlic for crunch, toasted peanuts for nutty depth, and you’ve got something far more interesting than the usual fruit bowl.
The technique is straightforward but the details matter. Frying the shallots and garlic in oil over LOW heat is the move, high heat burns them in seconds and turns them bitter. You’re aiming for an even pale gold and a delicate crunch. Drain them well so they stay crispy when they hit the salad.
For the fruit, mix textures and acids deliberately. Pomelo or grapefruit segments break apart into juicy little pearls; firm pear or apple slices add crunch; berries and grapes add jewel-like color. Toss apple or pear in citrus juice immediately to stop browning.
Keep the dressing minimal. Lime juice, salt, and a touch of sugar to round the sharp edges. The fried alliums and chile do most of the flavor work.
Chef Tips
- Slice shallots and garlic on a mandoline for paper-thin, even pieces that fry uniformly.
- Use raw, unsalted peanuts and toast them yourself in a dry skillet, much fresher than the bagged kind.
- Half of the fried alliums go into the salad, half on top as garnish, this gives you both flavor and visual contrast.
- Build the salad just before serving. The lime breaks down the fruit if it sits.
Variations
- Swap shrimp for shredded poached chicken or seared pork for different protein.
- Add a splash of fish sauce alongside the lime for deeper savory funk.
- Toss in a handful of fresh mint or Thai basil for an aromatic lift.
Ingredients
Apples, Pears, Tangerine Sections, Grapefruit or Pomelo, Grapes, Firm Papaya, Strawberries, Oranges *
Directions
Cut fruit into bite-sized pieces. If using pomelo, peel individual sections and break them apart into grains about the size of a grape seed. if grapes contain seeds, split and seed them. Toss apple or pear slices in a little citrus juice to keep them from oxidizing.
In a small skillet or saucepan, heat oil over low heat and gently fry shallot and garlic until lightly browned. Remove and drain on paper towels.
In a medium bowl, combine lime juice, salt, and sugar (if used) and stir to dissolve. Add fruits, shrimp, and half the garlic, and shallot and toss to coat evenly with dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Transfer to serving dish and garnish with remaining garlic and shallot, peanuts, and chile.
Serves 4 with other dishes.
Stephen Ceideburg
Variation: Use cooked and shredded chicken or pork in place of shrimp. From the California Culinary Academy’s “Southeast Asian Cooking", Jay Harlow, published by the Chevron Chemical Company, 1987. ISBN 0-89721-098-0.
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