This recipe is full of flavour thanks to the tasty blend of turmeric, hot mustard powder, and rice wine vinegar. I have my mother-in-law to thank for introducing me to this delicious dish. Her version involves pickling the onions, which really enhances the tastiness of this dish. However, it’s a little time-consuming for weeknight cooking so I’ve simplified her recipe to create a throw-together weeknight version.
I try to marinate the fish for at least 30 minutes while I prep my side dishes or putter around, but in a pinch, you can totally throw it in the oven right away. The sauteed onions add some serious kick in the flavour department. We have this with rice and simple sauteed vegetables to round out a simple home-cooked weeknight meal that’s light and healthy. Bonus, turmeric has been linked to health benefits like liver detoxification and Alzheimer’s prevention. Read more about it here. Thanks to my mom-in-law for all her yummy home-cooked meals. She’s super thoughtful and always makes our favourite meals when we are in town, and goes to great lengths to make sure I have lots of gluten-free options. I’m pretty lucky.
Indian Spiced Baked Salmon
INGREDIENTS
- ½ teaspoon hot mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 ½ teaspoon rice vinegar or white vinegar
- 2 salmon filets
- Salt and pepper
- Non-stick cooking spray
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
- ½ white onion (thinly sliced)
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a small bowl, combine mustard powder, turmeric and vinegar. Whisk together to create a paste. Place the salmon filets on a small tray or plate and spread a thin layer onto each salmon filet, about ¼ teaspoon each. Season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes up to 4 hours.
- Preheat oven to 375 degree. Place salmon on a foil-lined pan with coated with non-stick cooking spray (or thin layer of canola oil). Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on thickness and size of salmon.
- Meanwhile, heat a non-stick wok or frying pan to medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons of canola oil to pan and add onions and garlic. Turn heat down to medium and sauté for 5 minutes or until onions are softened and golden brown and fragrant. Add remaining mustard paste to onions until onions are evenly coated, about 30 seconds (no longer as the spices will become bitter). Remove from heat. Divide onions and place on top of cooked salmon before serving.
Try it with Fennel the same way but with a little orange ginger sauce found in chinese section of supermarket