Thai Spicy Lime Salad (Yum Manao)

Why You’ll Love Thai Spicy Lime Salad

• Naturally refreshing: Fresh lime gives the salad a bright, clean citrus flavor that instantly wakes up your palate.
• Simple to prepare: Peel, pound, and toss. No cooking required, and everything comes together quickly.
• Light but full of flavor: Fresh and flavorful
• Perfect with seafood: Especially grilled prawns or fish, since the acidity balances rich or smoky flavors beautifully.
• Great as a palate cleanser: Works well between heavier dishes or as a bright, sour side.
• Ready in 10 minutes: Quick, easy, and consistently delicious every time.
• High in vitamin C: Get your daily dose of vitamin C with this salad.

The Essential Ingredients for Thai Spicy Lime Salad

• Fresh limes (มะนาว): The heart of this dish. Whole peeled limes create the bold sour base and give the salad its juicy, refreshing character. Choose thin-skinned, fragrant limes with plenty of juice.
• Thai red chilies (พริกแดงจินดา): Provide heat, aroma, and that classic Thai kick. Adjust the amount based on how spicy you like it.
• Garlic (กระเทียม): Adds sharpness and depth. When lightly pounded, it mixes into the dressing and enhances the overall flavor.
• Palm sugar (น้ำตาลปี๊บ): Balances the strong sourness of the lime with a gentle sweetness. Helps round out the flavor so the salad isn’t harsh.
• Fish sauce (น้ำปลา): The salty backbone of the dish. It ties the lime, chilies, and aromatics together for the classic Thai “yum” balance.
• Shallots (หอมแดง): Add mild sweetness and soft texture that contrast with the bright sourness of the limes.
• Sawtooth coriander and coriander (ผักชีฝรั่ง / ผักชี): Herbal freshness that lightens the salad and adds aroma. These herbs make the dish feel vibrant and balanced.
• Dried shrimp (กุ้งแห้ง): Adds savory depth and a slightly chewy texture. A classic Isaan-style addition for extra umami.
• Roasted peanuts (ถั่วลิสงคั่ว): Provide crunch and richness. They help balance the acidity and give the salad more body.
• Kaffir lime leaves (ใบมะกรูด): Thinly sliced leaves add a bright, perfume-like citrus aroma that elevates the entire dish.

Ingredients Highlights: Lime (Manao)

How It’s Used
For yum manao, the lime is peeled completely to remove the skin and white pith. This step is important because the pith can taste bitter. Once peeled, the whole lime is gently tossed with chilies, garlic, and herbs so it absorbs the dressing while keeping its shape. The result is tender, juicy segments that burst with clean citrus flavor.

In Thai Cooking
Lime is essential in many Thai dishes, especially in anything that needs brightness and balance. It is widely used in salads (yum), dipping sauces (nam jim), som tam, larb, nam tok, and soups like tom yum and tom kha added at the end to keep the flavor fresh. In Isaan-style salads, lime often plays a starring role, providing both acidity and freshness.

Nutritional & Health Benefits

• Rich in vitamin C
• Helps support skin health and immunity
• Naturally refreshing and hydrating
• Low in calories with high flavor impact
• Aids digestion and adds brightness without added sugar or fat

Tips Before You Start Making Thai Spicy Lime Salad

• Remove all the white pith - Any leftover pith will make the salad bitter. Clean lime segments are the key.
• Pound gently, not aggressively - This salad is about bruising, not smashing. Over-pounding will turn everything mushy and watery.