Betel Leaf & Pomelo Salad

Slice off both ends of the pomelo. Dice into quarters and cut off the hard skin. Pick out the large seeds and remove the bitter white pith and membranes with a knife. Add only the flesh of the pomelo to the salad. Cut the tips of the cucumber and, use a vegetable peeler to peel the cucumber lengthwise into long ribbons. Discard the first piece, which will mostly be peel. Keep turning the cucumber and peeling for more ribbons until you reach the seeds. Set the seedy core aside, as the flesh with seeds is watery. Peel the mango using a peeler. Slice down lengthwise on either side of the pith for the cheeks. Place the cheeks flat-side down and cut into 2-inch-long matchsticks. Slice the red chiles at a sharp diagonal to make oblong rings.

Add the pomelo and the cucumber ribbons to a mixing bowl along with the mango, basil leaves, red chile, cilantro, and 1 ½ tbsp of the coconut, reserving some for garnish.

To make the dressing: In another bowl, mix the soy sauce, white vinegar, honey, chile sauce, salt, and pepper.

Add the pomelo and the dressing, reserving a bit, to the bowl sitting with the other ingredients and gently toss them and mix well.

To plate, arrange the betel leaves on a serving platter. Pile a heaped tablespoon of salad on each leaf. Drizzle the reserved salad dressing on each leaf and top with some crushed, roasted peanuts, the remaining ½ Tbsp grated coconut, and a dollop of gulkand. To eat, fold the betel leaf into a parcel—and enjoy! Alternately, you can cut the betel leaves into thin strips, toss them in with the rest of the ingredients, and serve the salad in a bowl.