Spiced Coconut Salmon Recipes

CASHEW COCONUT SALMON CURRY

Steps:

• Begin by whisking the cashew coconut curry sauce ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl.
• Heat the coconut oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Dry the salmon fillets well with paper towels then add them to the pan skinless side down. Let them cook for 5 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to medium then pour the curry sauce into the pan and cover the pan and let it cook for 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully stir the thickened sauce. Serve topped with cashews and cilantro.

COCONUT CURRY SALMON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place one of the oven racks close-ish to the top, about 6 inches or so.
• Mix the spices and the olive oil to make a paste. Place the salmon skin side down on the baking sheet. Rub the paste liberally over the top part of the salmon. Bake for 6-12 minutes (depends on salmon thickness and desired doneness - I usually opt for 8-10 minutes). See notes and FAQs for potential broiling issues and alternative methods.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger, and lemongrass; sauté for 5 minutes. Add brown sugar and curry paste; sauté for 3 minutes. Add coconut milk. Season with fish sauce and lime juice to taste. Add spinach; stir into the sauce until wilted.
• Place salmon over rice. Cover with sauce, lime juice, and fresh herbs.

ROAST SALMON WITH SPICED COCONUT CRUMBS

Steps:

• Up to a day ahead, melt the butter in a medium pan, add the cardamom and coconut and stir non-stop for 2 to 3 minutes until the coconut starts to toast. Stir in the chilli, ginger, garlic, ground coriander and turmeric. Cook for another minute then leave to cool.
• Arrange the salmon in a single layer, spaced slightly apart, in 1 large or 2 smaller buttered ovenproof dishes. Scatter on the coriander and spread the coconut mixture on top. Cover in cling film and chill (for up to a day) until an hour before cooking.
• To serve, turn the oven to 200C/gas 6/fan 180C. Remove the cling film. Roast the salmon for 13-15 minutes until cooked, but still moist. Bring to the table in the dish(es).

SALMON WITH COCONUT SAUCE

Steps:

• For the sauce:
• Put 2 tablespoons coconut oil into a large skillet over low-med heat and then add ginger. Saute for 30 seconds and then the fennel seeds, cardamom seeds, brown mustard, seeds and ground coriander; cook for 10 seconds. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes, stirring well. Pour in the coconut milk and simmer for about 15 minutes, until sauce is thickened. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper, if necessary.
• For the salmon:
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons coconut oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When it is hot, season the salmon fillets with 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander and a pinch of salt and pepper and then sear them on each side for 7 to 8 minutes, until they are just cooked through. Put the salmon on a plate and ladle some sauce over it.

SPICED COCONUT SALMON

Steps:

• Mix the onion and lemon juice in a small bowl with a pinch of salt. Set aside.
• Heat half the oil in a small frying pan over a high heat. Fry the salmon skin-side down for 2 minutes, then flip and cook for a minute more. Set aside.
• Mix the garlic, ginger, curry powder, tamarind/lime juice and a pinch of salt in a small bowl to make a thick paste. Wipe the pan clean with kitchen paper, then put back over a medium heat. Add the remaining oil, then fry the spice paste for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the coconut milk, bring to a gentle simmer, then cook for 5 minutes. Gently put the salmon fillet skin-side up in the sauce and cook for 1 minute more or until cooked to your liking. Taste the sauce - you might want to add a pinch of sugar to balance the flavours.
• Meanwhile, squeeze the onion to remove most of the liquid (discard), then combine the onion with the chilli and coriander. Serve the salmon in the sauce, topped with the onion and coriander salad and sprinkled with the nigella, with basmati or jasmine rice.

BASIL & COCONUT SALMON WITH SPICED COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and boil the kettle. Whizz together the basil, 150g of coconut yogurt, the juice from 1 lime and some seasoning in a small food processor. Put the salmon fillets, skin-side down, on a baking tray lined with foil. Top each fillet with the basil dressing, then sprinkle over the nigella seeds. Bake in the oven for 10-12 mins until cooked through.
• Meanwhile, put the couscous in a large bowl and stir in the turmeric, cumin and some seasoning. Pour over boiling water to just cover the couscous, cover with cling film and leave to sit for 10 mins. Meanwhile, put a pan of water on to boil, add the beans and broccoli, and simmer for 3 mins until they are just cooked. Mix together the remaining 50g yogurt with the olive oil and seasoning. Fluff the couscous up with a fork and stir in the yogurt, then the drained broccoli and beans. Serve the salmon with the couscous and lime wedges on the side.

HONEY COCONUT SALMON

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, and mix in the honey, brown, sugar, and coconut. Bring to a boil, and remove from heat. Cool slightly, and transfer to a large bowl. Place the salmon in the bowl, and turn to coat. Cover, and marinate at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Spread enough of the marinade mixture in a baking dish to coat the bottom. Arrange the salmon in the dish, and pour some of the marinade over the top, being sure to get some of the coconut on the top.
• Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, basting occasionally with the remaining marinade, until the salmon is flaked easily with a fork. Discard any leftover marinade, or bring to a boil, cook for 5 minutes, and spoon over salmon.

THAI COCONUT RICE WITH SALMON

Steps:

• You will need a wide-based shallow casserole about 30cm in diameter, or a deep-sided sauté pan, with a tight-fitting lid as the salmon needs to steam in a single layer. Pick the coriander leaves off the stalks, finely chop the stalks and put the leaves in a bowl. Grate the zest of one of the limes. Set aside. Pour both cans of coconut milk into a large jug, then fill one of the empty cans with cold water and stir this into the jug.
• Heat the oil and butter in the pan over a lowish heat, tip in the shallots and sizzle gently for about 5 minutes, stirring, until they start to turn golden. Stir the curry paste in and cook for another minute.
• Take the pan off the heat and add the lime zest, coriander stalks, rice and a heaped teaspoon of salt, then mix everything together until the rice is coated in the curry paste. (You can prepare this up to two hours ahead.)
• Pour the coconut milk mixture over the rice and stir. Bring to simmering point on a medium heat, stirring gently now and then. Get the spoon right to the bottom of the pan so the rice doesn't stick to it. Scatter in the lime leaves and leave everything to simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
• Stir the rice once more, then lay the salmon fillets on top. Cover and leave to barely simmer over a very low heat for 15-20 minutes until the salmon looks cooked and the rice is tender. Cook everything very gently or you will have crunchy rice on the bottom and no liquid left.
• While the fish is cooking, juice two of the limes (the grated lime and another) and in a small bowl mix the juice with the soy sauce and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Trim the spring onions, then split lengthways and slice into thin strands on the diagonal. Mix the spring onions and chilli with the coriander leaves. Cut the third lime into six wedges.
• When the rice and fish are ready, take the pan off the heat and leave to stand for 5 minutes. To serve, scatter a third of the coriander salad over everything in the pan. Spoon some coconut rice on each plate, then, using a fish slice, put a salmon portion on top. Drizzle with some of the soy and lime dressing and scatter a spoonful of the coriander salad on top. Give everyone a lime wedge to squeeze over it. Serve the remaining dressing if anyone wants extra, and a side salad.