Goi Buoi (Vietnamese Pomelo Salad)

Rinse scallops under cold water and thoroughly pat dry.

Place scallops in a single layer on paper towels. Allow scallops to reach room temperature to draw out excess moisture. (See note below.)

When ready to cook, sprinkle scallops with salt and pepper on their flat sides. Over a high flame, heat a non-stick pan with oil until it begins to smoke. Use tongs to add about 8-10 scallops to the pan, taking care that the scallops don't touch. (The scallops exude a little juice as they cook. When overcrowded in the pan, they steam rather than sear.) After 2 mintues, the contact side will develop a golden crust. Quickly flip the scallops and sear again for another 2 minutes. (The scallops should be lightly browned on each side but still translucent in the center.) Plate scallops immediately, and sear the next batch as necessary. Once all scallops have cooled, halve them lengthwise into thinner discs. Set aside.

Pomelo: With a paring knife, peel off the thick outer rind and cottony pith of the pomelo. Separate the fleshy pulp from the opaque skins that form each wedge. Gently pull chunks of pomelo pulp into bite-size pieces and place them into a gallon-sized Ziploc bag or large Tupperware.

Chilled ingredients: Prep mango, carrot, cucumber, and herbs. Gently toss these ingredients along with the scallops into the pomelo container. Refrigerate.

Combine the chili, garlic, lime juice, and fish sauce in a small bowl. Refrigerate separately. An hour before serving, pour the dressing into the container holding the other refrigerated ingredients. Toss gently and fold through to combine.

Heat a large flat skillet over medium heat. As it begins to smoke, add sesame and sea salt and toast for 2 to 4 minutes, tossing continuously to ensure even browning. The seeds will smell nutty and turn gold as they begin to brown. As soon as this happens, pour seeds onto a plate to cool. Plate the salad and garnish with toasted sesame and peanuts.

Note: Scallops sold in supermarkets are often pre-soaked in sodium tripolyphosphate (STP). STP plumps up scallops and increases the price per unit of weight. Unfortunately for the home cook, the excess moisture causes these pre-soaked scallops to steam rather than sear. Use dry-packed scallops if available and bring to room temperature to drain off fluids before cooking.