This Thai-style marian plum salad is bursting with the freshness of Thai marian plums, lively chilis, and a perfect dressing that's just the right mix of sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors. It's irresistibly refreshing and a dish you don't want to miss when marian plums are in season!

What Is Marian Plum or Mayongchid?

Marian plum, also known as plum mango or mayongchid (มะยงชิด), is a seasonal fruit that is native to Southeast Asia. It's commonly found in countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines.

In Thailand, the province that's most famous for mayongchid is Nakhon Nayok. Its season typically runs from February to April. Marian plum trees need a bit of coldness around the end of the year in order for them to flower. That means, if our winter is warm, the trees don't produce that many plums and they become more expensive (it's not a cheap fruit in Thailand but totally worth the splurge).

Marian plum has an oval shape and it's often described as egg-like. Its skin is smooth and green when unripe. Once mature, the skin turns yellowish-orange. In order to eat it, you need to peel the skin, slice off the flesh, and discard the pit.

As for the taste, marian plum's flavor is a combination of sweet and sour. Its texture is juicy, similar to that of mango, with just a little more firmness when consumed at the right time. Overripe marian plums tend to be bruised and mushy.

Speaking of marian plum's health benefits, it's a good source of Vitamins C and A, as well as fiber and antioxidants. These nutrients are good for your immune system support, eye health, and digestive health. However, moderation is still key since this fruit can be high in sugar.

Why We Love Yum Mayongchid

I can't believe it's taken me this long to write this recipe, since marian plum is my favorite Thai fruit. Although marian plum or mayongchid is a delicious treat in itself, using it as the star of a Thai-style salad can enhance the flavor of this fruit.

With shallots, toasted rice powder, and a perfectly balanced dressing, you get contrasting textures and a bold southeast Asian flavor explosion in every bite.

This salad is perfect as an afternoon snack, especially if you live in a hot country like Thailand. It's just oh so refreshing and can totally lift your mood. You can also serve it as an appetizer or make this for dinner if you're looking for something light.

What's great about this mayongchid salad is that it's so good while it's not complicated to make at all! If you can find the ingredients as detailed in the recipe card below, your marian plum salad will turn out amazing. I promise!

And the bonus is that it can be prepped in no time with no cooking involved!

Ingredients

Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.

Shallots: These help give the salad an herby, savory taste. You can sub them with red onions
Marian Plums: Be sure to pick the firm ones. It's best to go for those with the stems intact.
Fish Sauce: Use any brand you have, but the Abalone brand fish sauce is the one I highly recommend. It just smells delicious!
Palm Sugar: When making a Thai salad dressing, it's best to use palm sugar since it dissolves well and gives an umami flavor. You can get it on Amazon here or use another type of sugar or sweetener if you prefer.
Lime Juice: Use fresh lime juice for the best flavor and fragrance. I don't recommend using lime seasoning powder here. If you can't find fresh limes, go for lemons instead.
Thai Chili Flakes: Order them online through the link provided or make them yourself following my guide here!
Toasted Rice Powder: Again, it's super easy to make the homemade version of toasted rice powder. But if you don't have the time, you can get this online and use it in other thai salads and sauces such as laab and nam jim jaew.

How To Make Thai Marian Plum Salad

Peel shallots and slice into thin slices. Set aside.
Rinse marian plums. Peel the skin, slice the flesh into bite-sized pieces into a mixing bowl, and discard the pits.
Make the dressing by adding fish sauce, palm sugar and lime juice into a small bowl. Stir with a spoon until the sugar is fully dissolved.
Add the shallots to the marian plums, followed by the dressing, chili flakes, and toasted rice powder, and mix with a spoon until all the ingredients are well combined. Serve immediately.

Tips

When choosing your marian plums, go for the firm ones. The firm texture tastes better and the fruit won't be mushy in the salad. Don't pick any marian plums with bruises.
If you have time, make your own toasted rice powder and ground chili flakes a little bit in advance. These ingredients do make a huge difference when they are fresh.

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