Grapefruits are a totally underutilized member of the citrus family & often get a bad rap due to their sometimes bitter taste. But not all grapefruits are created equal & there are now many available varieties with a lovely sweet taste. They get the name “grapefruit” because they tend to grow in bunches or clusters like grapes. Grapefruits are actually a hybrid cross between sweet oranges & Asian pomelos.

Grapefruits are thought to have originated in Barbados during the 18th century. This tropical fruit is chock full of nutritional value being a very rich source of both Vitamin C, dietary fiber & Vitamin A to a lesser extent. Grapefruits are thought to play a key role in overall cardiovascular well being, immune support and respiratory health. Grapefruits also have antimicrobial properties, cholesterol lowering & antioxidant benefits. Best of all, grapefruits are known to naturally increase the body’s metabolism making them great for diets & weight loss. But because of this unique characteristic, grapefruits are also sometimes contraindicated with certain types of medication – so please check with your doctor before adding too much grapefruit into your diet ☺.

My tasty Indian Grapefruit Salad is similar to a “slaw” & a refreshing side dish to basically any meal. I especially serve this dish often with grilled foods. The combination of flavors is fantastic & it takes just minutes to put together. If you use a food processor, this slaw comes together in absolutely no time! Now since I live in the Sunshine State (FL), getting fresh citrus fruits all year around isn’t much of an issue.

I do recommend using freshly squeezed fruit juices when possible but using store bought juices is also a great timesaver & big shortcut – so go ahead.


INDIAN GRAPEFRUIT SALAD

Ingredients:

1 medium grapefruit (I used the Sweet Ruby Red variety)
2 cups green cabbage (any variety), finely shredded
1 cup purple cabbage, finely shredded
1 cup carrot, finely shredded
½ cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped
¼ cup of peanuts (unsalted & dry roasted)
¼ cup roasted pumpkin seeds (hulled) or sunflower seeds
2 tbsp freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
juice of ½ lime
½ tbsp of honey (I used orange blossom honey), to taste
½ tsp ground cumin powder
¼ tsp red chili powder
salt & pepper, to taste
½ tsp black mustard seeds
2-3 small green Thai chilies, cut in half lengthwise
5-6 fresh curry leaves (kadi patta)
pinch of asafetida (hing)
2 tbsp vegetable oil


METHOD:
Peel the grapefruit & then section it over a small mixing bowl to catch the juice. If the sections are large, cut them in half. Set aside the grapefruit sections until needed.

In a large mixing bowl, combine both types of cabbage (green & red) with the carrots & cilantro. Next, add peanuts & pumpkin seeds. Then toss well to combine the ingredients & set aside until needed.

Now to the small mixing bowl with the grapefruit juice, add the lime juice along with the orange blossom honey & the spices (ground cumin powder, red chili powder, salt & pepper). Whisk well to combine & pour this mixture over the slaw. Now add in the grapefruit section & gently toss to combine.

In a small sauce pan on medium high heat, add the oil. When hot, add the mustard seeds. Do this very carefully because as the mustard seeds hit the hot oil, they will splatter & pop tremendously. After the popping subsides, reduce the heat to low & carefully add the green chilies, curry leaves & asafetida. After about 30 seconds, turn off the heat completely & carefully add this very hot oil mixture to the slaw. Mix well & serve with your favorite meal.



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