Pomelo noodles salad: a cold, citrusy noodle salad filled with pomelo, rocket and edamame, and dressed with sesame oil and tangy-salty ponzu sauce
The first time I made this pomelo noodle salad, my internal voice kept cautioning me. So I kept picking up the pomelo and sniffing it, knowing it was a pomelo, but nervous about the very distinct grapefruit aroma that was coming from the skin.
I also checked the medicine basket to make sure there were antihistamines in the house. Because I love, love, love grapefruit, but unfortunately, grapefruit does not love me.
Pomelos became more widely available here a few years ago, and I remember buying the hefty fruit without even knowing what to do with it, what it tasted like, or if I was even allergic to it.
Still, I bought it, sniffed it a lot, and then hit google to get some ideas; which is how I found Heidi Swanson’s recipe for pomelo noodle salad.
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I adore Heidi’s cooking style and the recipes on 101 Cookbooks (caramelised tofu, anyone?) She creates beautiful and wholesome food and her photographs are striking, comforting and wistful. Also, the initial premise of her site really resonated with me: ‘When you own over 100 cookbooks, it is time to stop buying, and start cooking’.
So I chopped up my pomelo and cooked this noodle salad.
What are Pomelos?
Pomelos are one of the oldest citrus fruit we know of. Called an ‘ancestor fruit’, the accidental cross-pollination of the pomelo with an orange is what gave us the grapefruit.
Native to Southeast Asia, pomelos are both larger and sweeter tasting than grapefruits. Other than the pith and bitter membrane surrounding the individual segments, every other part of the fruit, including the peel, can be used in cooking, much like all other citrus fruit.
This recipe calls for only half a pomelo. You can enjoy the other half by dipping it into a chilli-lime salt and eating it fresh, or you can make a Vietnamese slaw salad.
What is Ponzu Sauce?
Ponzu sauce is a tart and salty, citrus-based Japanese condiment. It’s made by heating mirin, rice vinegar and katsuobushi flakes, adding in citrus juice from a yuzu, sudachi or lemon, and then mixing it together with some soy sauce.
You can buy both traditional and vegetarian premade ponzu sauce from many supermarkets and Asian groceries. If you can’t find it, you can always whip up a ‘cheat’ version by mixing together equal parts lemon and soy sauce, and adding a little mirin or sugar for some sweetness. Ponzu can be used as a marinade, dressing or dipping sauce.
A few Tips for Making Heidi Swanson’s Pomelo Noodle Salad:
- Noodles: I have made this salad with both somen and soba noodles in the past, but I highly recommend using somen noodles if you can get them. They are thinner and I prefer their texture in a cold dish. However, they are entirely made of wheat, so if you need a gluten free alternative, stick to the soba noodles, which are usually made from 100 per cent buckwheat flour.
- Greens: The original recipe on 101 Cookbooks suggests salad or micro greens, but I’ve found that the slight peppery bite of rocket pairs really well with the ponzu and sesame oil.
- Dressing: Let’s be honest, sesame oil makes most food better, so I use a little more than Heidi’s recipe. This simple but flavourful dressing of just sesame oil and ponzu sauce is all about finding the right balance for your tastebuds. The taste of both the oil and the ponzu will vary from brand to brand, so start with the smaller amount, mix and add more to suit to your taste.
- Pomelo substitutes: If you can’t get pomelos or they’re out of season, grapefruit, blood oranges and oranges all make pretty good substitutes. Just add in the ponzu a little at a time and add any extra salt after you mix through the peanuts.
Looking for more Asian-Inspired dishes? Try these:
101 Cookbooks’ Pomelo Noodle Salad
Ingredients
- 170 g dried somen or soba noodles
- 220 g shelled edamame
- 2 big handfuls of rocket
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 to 4 tablespoons of ponzu sauce, to taste
- ⅔ cup toasted peanuts, chopped
- ½ a medium pomelo, peeled and segmented
- Garlic or chive flowers or chopped chives to serve, optional
Instructions
- Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil and cook the noodles as per the packet instructions.
- With 3 minutes to go, add the edamame to the boiling water to cook.
- When cooked, drain and rinse the noodles and edamame with cold water to stop them cooking further and cool the noodles. Drain well to get rid of all the residual water.
- Tip the noodles and edamame into a large salad bowl and add the handfuls of rocket. Add the sesame oil and ponzu sauce, a tablespoon at a time, mixing and tasting until the noodles and rocket are coated but not drowning in sauce.
- Add the pomelo segments and the chopped peanuts, and mix well. Top with garlic or chive flowers, or chopped chives, if using, and serve.
