Yum Som-O (Pomelo and Chicken Salad) ยำส้มโอ

Ingredients:
1 pomelo or ruby red grapefruit
1 small whole cooked chicken breast
1 cup cooked shrimp
1 teaspoon chopped red chile
1 ½ tablespoon nam pla
1 ½ teaspoon sugar
juice from 1 large lime
1 ½ tablespoon chopped fresh coriander
1 small head red leaf lettuce, for garnish
¼ cup roasted peanuts, chopped
fresh red chile, julienned for garnish
fried shallots



Preparation:
Peel and separate pomelo or grapefruit into segments. Remove the membranes. Seed. Gently flake the flesh apart into a bowl. Chill. Hand shred the chicken. Add chicken and shrimp to pomelo.


In a small bowl mix together the chopped red chile with fish sauce, sugar, lime juice and coriander; toss with pomelo chicken mixture.


Arrange the lettuce on a serving platter. Put the fruit mixture over the lettuce. Top with peanuts and 2 tablespoons of crisp fried shallot flakes, and garnish with red chile slivers.

How To Buy & Prepare Thai Mangosteen Fruit

From Darlene Schmidt,

This quick how-to article will tell you everything you need to know about Mangosteen fruit, including how to choose ripe mangosteens as well as how to prepare them, plus mangosteen recipe links. Now available for the first time in the US, you'll find mangosteen to be a beautiful fruit that offers numerous health benefits in the form of antioxidants - both the fruit itself and the skin are incredibly potent disease-fighters. So find out how to prepare this incredible fruit and then go get your hands on some today!



Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 5 minutes
Here's How:
1. Shop for fresh mangosteens at your local Asian market. While they can be a tad expensive, mangosteens are well worth the money. Both the white fruit and the purple skin are suffused with disease-fighting antioxidants, anti-radicals, anti-aging agents and cancer-fighting agents. Mangosteens are the size of an orange and have orange-like segments of fruit, though the taste is very different. Mangosteens are a dark reddish-purple and have a rather "cute" cap-like stem. When shopping, look for fruit that is firm and deeply colored with stems and leaves that are green and fresh (see more shopping tips below).
2. Using a sharp knife, make a cut around the middle of the fruit (the circumference) of the mangosteen. The purple-red skin can be up to 1/2 an inch thick, so you will need to cut fairly deep.
3. Take the mangosteen in both hands and use your thumbs to pry open the fruit. Now you should be able to see the white segments (almost like an orange) at the fruit's center. Remove these segments from the purple "casing" (skin).
4. Enjoy eating these luscious fruit segments right away, or use them to make a variety of desserts - from mangosteen sorbet to fruit salad to mangosteen clafouti (see recipe links below this article). ENJOY!

Tips:
When shopping, avoid buying mangosteens that have blotchy-looking skin or crispy-brown leaves, as this means the fruit is old. Another sign of overripe mangosteens is a powdery yellow appearance on both skin and stem. Instead, look for consistently rich color and fresh-looking green stems and leaves.
When cutting a mangosteen, it's best to wear an apron or old clothing, and avoid preparing it near furniture of any kind. The purple juice is so potent, it will create stains that are extremely difficult to get out. In fact, for this reason mangosteens are sometimes banned from certain Asian hotels and other public areas!
Like oranges, mangosteen fruit segements sometimes have small to medium-size pits. If the pits are small and soft, you can eat them, otherwise it's best to spit them out.
To get the full health benefits of this wondrous fruit, try juicing the purple skin (this is where most of the health benefits lie). Note that the taste of juiced mangosteen peel is extremely sour and astringent - you will need to juice lots of carrots and apples along with the mangosteen to make it drinkable. I usually just juice a little at a time, otherwise the taste overpowers everything else.
Mangosteens usually come down in price by a few dollars in the summer months (July-August).

What You Need:
a few fresh mangosteen fruit
a knife

Spring Bitter Cucumber :Indigenous Antioxidant Vegetable

Fug Kao

I have tried a new drink with an extract of gac fruit. In some countries, gac fruit has been revered as a fruit from heaven. The fruit is similar to spring bitter cucumber which is indigenous vegetable commonly found in Thailand.

Buds, sprouts and seedlings are usually eaten with chili paste. It tastes bitter sweet and contains high concentration of beta-carotene which helps nourishing eyesight. Seedlings have high nutritional content such as carbohydrate, fiber, protein, calcium phosphorus, iron, vitamin A, B1, B2, C and niacin.

Spring bitter cucumber offers a lot of health benefit and treats illness such as fever, abscess, back pain, ect. Grinded seeds can treat diverticular disease of the colon, pulmonary disease, coughing, restricted gallbladder and TB. Roots can be eaten boiled to reduce phlegm, fever and joint paint. Its extract can also be used as anti-lice shampoo that prevents hair fall.

Star Fruit

also called carambola, is a star-shaped fruit that has a subtle, citrusy flavor.

Here, it is both common and popular because of its high water content and is a refreshing treat in our tropical heat.
The juicy fruit is a good alternative to water as it has a relatively higher water content than most fruits.

It is also an excellent source of Vitamin C. A small whole fruit will contribute to one-third of the recommendeddaily Vitamin C intake. It is also high in dietary fibre and naturally sodium-free.
When buying starfruits, choose those that are skinny, firm and evencoloured.
If only unripe fruits are available, all you need to do is to place them in room temperature and turn them often until they turn yellow.

The starfruit is also popular because it is convenient to eat. Simply wash the fruit, remove the blemished areas and slice them across.

Custard Apple (Noi-na )

Also known as sugar apple, this fruit has a lumpy green skin covering masses of sweet, scented white flesh: in most varieties the fruit can easily be divided into two pieces by hand and the creamy flesh eaten with spoon. Custard apples also form the base for a delicious ice cream, served in Thai restaurants. The main growing areas are the north - central provinces such as Phetchabun and Nakhon Ratchasima, and the peak fruiting season lasts from June to September.

Durian (Thurian)

Durian, the King of Fruits

Beginning in May and extending through August, the durian announces its presence in Thai markets with a distinctive, highly pervasive aroma. To Thais, as well as to many other Asians, the stin k is a welcome odor for they regard durian as the king of fruits, a delicacy that is well worth the comparatively high price it commands. Some visitors, on the other hand, are deterred by the potent smell and never actually sample the creamy golden flesh hidden within the spiny exterior - thereby missing one of the truly great pleasures of fruit eating. "The more you eat of it the less you feel inclined to stop," wrote Alfred Russell Wallace, after eating his first durian on Borneo in the 19th century, and most of those who follow his example are likely to agree with him. Thai durians are noted for their subtle flavor and smooth texture, often winning over gourmets who have failed to respond in other countries where the fruit grows. Three of the most popular varieties (and there are several dozen to choose from) are cha ni, kan yao, and, perhaps the most prized of all, monthong.

Durian Ice Cream

Guava (Farang)

No one seems to know how the Thais came to call the guava by the same name used for Westerners, but perhaps the fact that the fruit originally came from Spain had something to do with it.In any event, the guava is one of the most popular fruits for snacks, eaten either ripe or when still green dipped in a bit of salt or sugar. In addition to the usual one with white flesh, another variety is bright red when peeled.

JACKFRUIT (Ka-noon)

The jackfruit is the shape of a large melon. The fruit has a grey skin, and contains a great number of pips or kernels which are about the size of a pigeon's egg. These, when roasted, taste like chestnuts. The fruit is yellow and succulent, of a sweet taste and powerful smell. Thus wrote Simon de la Loubere, a French visitor to Thailand in the 17th century, and his description of the popular jackfruit still holds true. Thais eat the yellow flesh alone, with ice cream or mixed with other fruits and coconut milk in a compote. The cooked seeds find their way into many dishes.

Thailand Fruits

Banana or 'glauy' is one of the most useful plants of the tropical Thailand. It is available all year round. We enjoy the fruits fresh or prepared as dessert and use the banana flower in various dishes. The leaves are used to wrap up food and made into containers. The inside young stalk can be used as hog feed. The tougher outside is torn into small strips and dried so that it can be turned into a durable type of string.
The banana plant grows in almost any type of soil and tolerates short floods. It requires neither fertilizer nor pesticide. It replicates by shooting out young plants around the original plant. Some types have such prolific roots that they don't have seeds. Banana plant flowers at 7-9 months and takes about 3 more months for the fruit to ripen. After harvest, the plant is cut down because it will not bear fruit again.
There are so many different types of bananas in Thailand, most of which I've not seen in the US:

- Gluay Nam Wah - Short and Fat - Gluay Hom - Like US ones - Gluay Kai - Short and thin skin and very strong scent - Gluay Leb Muh Nang - name means "Lady's Fingers" - Skinny and short - Gluay Hug Mook- Big one with Thick Skin - normally grilled, but great flavor also comes out when microwaved. - Gluay Tani - It has a lot of seeds and some people believe a lady angel's spirit lives in the tree, so people generally don't eat them

Rambutan likes to grow in tropical weather. It has a round and oval shape with dark red shell and red with yellow hair. It could be consumed when ripe, In Thailand, there are 2 specles of rambutan; Rong Rien and Si Chompoo. Rambutan is cultivated in Chantaburi, Rayong, Trad and Pracheenburi.
Consuming part is white flesh in side which has a sweet and tasty scent, It could easily be found during May to September. Rambutan has sugar and high vitamin C which help to stop bleeding gum. Calcium in rambutan also strengthens bones and tooth while vitamin B2 helps to digest fat and build growing body. Niasine helps to activate digestive system, relieve dysentery, floated stomach, fever and nurture the body.

Mangosteen is named as “the queen of fruit” Its shape is round with petals attached on the top of the fruit, which looks like a crown of the queen. The color of mangosteen’s shell is dark red purple while the seed is white, In one fruit, it contains about 5-8 seeds. Mangosteen has a sweet and sour scent and good when it is ripe. It could be found only during May ot September.
Mangosteen is rich in various mineral and vitamins such as protein, Carbohydrate. Calcium, etc. Moreover, Mangosteen helps to protect decayed tooth, digestive system, brain system in elders and calories clogged within blood vessels

Coconut is an economic fruit that could be cuitivated in every region of Thailand. The fruit is round or oval shape according to size. Shell of coconut is green, inside combining coconut meat, which is a great source of carbohydrate, protein, vitamin B1 and B2. Coconut juice obtains glucose, fructose, vitamin A and C.
Coconut helps to protect pins and needles and decrease calories clogged with in blood vessels. When consume oil from coconut, it would help to eliminate worm in the body. Coconut juice helps to decrease temperature and dehydration, nurture eyes, detoxify the body, relleve diarrhea, and good for urination.

Rose apple is a fruit that has a sweet taste and crispy texture, It is high in vitamin C and fiber. Rose apple could be found all year round. Species of rose apple are Petchsuwan, Petohsajrung, Petchnampueng, Taptimchan, Tunklao, Namdokmai, etc. the famous provinces for growing rose apples are Petchburi and Chantaburi.

Rose apple helps to regain energy and form a healthy heart. It is also rich in fiber that helps to decrease fever, eye pain. Seed could be used for diarrhea and diabetes.

Pomelo is well known economic fruit as it could grow in every region of Thailand. The best taste pomelo recognized nationally is found especially in Sampran, NakhonPathom. Pomelo is a good source for vitamin C and high in calcium. Consuming pomelo would help moisten your throat and feeling refresh. It could befound allyear round. The mosssst famous species are Khao puang, Khao Tongdhi, Khao Nampueng.

Pomelo helps to eilmlnate phlegm, reduce coughing, and increase the efficlency of the digestive system, stop bleeding gums, aid in decreasing trapped wind, acting as a good relief for alcohol consumption.

Lychee is a fruit with adark red shell, white flesh, has a sweet, yet sour, taste and a pleasant scent. It is easily found during April to June. The most famous provinces that grow Lychee are Chiangmai, Chiangrai, Payao, Samutsongkram, etc.

Lychee is a fruit of calcium, phosphorus, iron and vitamins that have a quality in helping digestion, bad stomach, nurturing intemal organs (the spleen and the nervous system.) Moreover, Lychee helps to decrease dehydration. If wa drink boiled dried Lychee flesh, it would help to decrease the pain from swollen intestines and testicles as well as anemai.

Longan is a fruit from warm climates that has a sweet taste and is easily ripe from June to August, There are 2 types of Longan: local Longan (or Kradook Longan) and Kralok Longan. The most famous areas for growing Longan are Chiangmai, Lampoon, Chiangrai, Prae, Uttaradit, Maehongsorn, Sukhothai, Chantaburi, Loei, and Nongkai
A Quality of the Longan fruit is to cure symptoms of weakness, fatigue, insomnia, palpitating heart, and forgetfulness. It could best be used in nurturing the body. Longan is considered as a fruit full of useful minerals such as glucose, sucrose, and fructose and vitamins such as vitamin C, B1, and B2 which help to protect pins and needies, calories clogged within blood vessels and is generally good protection for cold