Salmon recipes

Sweet miso-marinated salmon with soba noodles

This versatile, oil-rich fish is a popular restaurant choice but you can work wonders with it at home too. Try one of our salmon recipes - from classic dishes such as salmon-en-croûte and salmon tart to Oriental-inspired laksa and sashimi.

Buyer's guide

The salmon group of fish is extensive and can be found in both salt and fresh waters around the globe. The members of this group (which include trout species) are versatile, oil-rich fish with varying flavours and textures. Lesser-known members of the salmon group include char, which resembles trout but has distinguishing markings. This fish has a delicate flavour and was traditionally ‘potted’.

Salmon is a sea-going fish, but starts its life in freshwater. Atlantic salmon is the head of the salmon group. It has a deep-orange flaky oil-rich texture and is easily recognisable due to its heavily-scaled, silver skin and black, speckled back. Other species of salmon are caught in Pacific waters and are sold worldwide: some are canned, others are smoked.

Atlantic salmon was once prolific in the rivers of Northern Europe, but its popularity led to its decline and the fish is now mostly farmed and so is readily available all year. It is sold whole, or as fillets or steaks, both fresh and frozen. It is also available hot- and cold-smoked. The Pacific salmon species are all abundant and can be caught in the wild.

Preparation

Whole salmon are usually gutted: if you’re cooking a whole salmon, the gills should be removed. Salmon fillets usually require skinning; if cooking salmon fillets with the skin on, be sure they’ve been scaled. Pin bones can be removed before or after cooking.

Salmon is a popular choice due to its versatility. It can be grilled, baked, pan-fried, deep-fried or poached and pairs well with many flavours. It is excellent poached and served with hollandaise sauce, or deep-fried as tempura and cooked with Asian flavours such as soy, sesame, chilli and ginger. Cooked whole or as sandwiched whole fillets, salmon is a good fish to use when catering for large numbers.

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Eggplant Dal

Vankaya Pappu.

Oil is tempered with spices and dals. Indian eggplants / brinjals are chopped up and cooked in tempered oil till just soft. Then the cooked toor dal is added to the brinjals and cooked for last 5 minutes. Serve eggplant dal with steamed rice and a crispy papad.
Makes: around 2 Servings of Eggplant Dal.

Ingredients:

Toor Dal 1 Cup
Baby Eggplants 3
Green Chiles 3 – 4
Turmeric Powder a big pinch
Salt to taste

Talimpu:

Mustard Seeds 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds 1/4 tsp
Urad Dal 1/4 tsp
Broken Dried Red Chiles 4
Asafoetida a pinch
Curry Leaves 5
Oil 1 tbsp

Method of preparation:

Wash toor dal under fresh water to remove any dirt.
Remove stems, wash and chop the eggplant into small chunks.
Remove stems, wash and slice the green chiles.
Pressure cook the toor dal in 2 cups of water for 3 whistles.

Heat oil in a small pan, add all talimpu ingredients in order.
When mustard seeds start spluttering, add green chiles, chopped eggplant, turmeric powder and salt.
Fry for couple of seconds and cook covered till eggplant is soft but not mushy.
Stir occasionally if necessary.
Uncover, stir in cooked toor dal and adjust the salt.
Cook on low flame for around 5 minutes or until the dal and the eggplant is well cooked.
Serve eggplant dal with steamed rice and a crispy papad.
Notes: Make sure to add salt once the eggplant is added to the tempering.

Suggestions: Make sure dal is perfectly cooked before adding to the tempering. Also the green chiles can be added to the raw dal to cook for extra spice.
Variations: If the toor dal is cooked on a stove top, the eggplant and green chile pieces can be added to the toor dal during the last 10 minutes of the boiling time and then the dal can be tempered with spices.
Other Names: Eggplant Dal, Vankaya Pappu Kura.

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