Salmon Daal
A comforting Indian-inspired dish of split red lentil daal topped with pan-seared marinated salmon and a hot oil tempering of onions, seeds and curry leaves.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoonoil
- 2 clovesgarlicminced
- 1/2 tablespoongingerminced
- 1/2 teaspoonsalt
- 1/2 teaspoonturmeric
- 1/2 teaspoonground cumin
- 4 salmon fillets see note 1
- 1 tablespoonoil
- 1 medium onionfinely chopped
- 6 clovesgarlicminced
- 1 tablespoongingerminced
- 8 fresh curry leavessee note 2)
- 1 cupdried split red lentils
- 3 1/2 cupsbroth see note 3
- 3/4 teaspoonsalt
- 1/2 teaspoonground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoonturmeric powder
- 1/4 teaspoonground fennel
- 1/4 teaspoonground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoongaram marsala
- 2 tablespoonoil
- 1 small onioncut into half moons
- 1 teaspooncumin seeds
- 1 teaspoonblack mustard seeds
- 6-10 fresh curry leaves see note 2
Instructions
Instructions
- Make the salmon marinade: in a shallow dish combine 2 tablespoons oil, 2 cloves garlic (minced), ½ tablespoon ginger (minced), ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon turmeric and ½ teaspoon ground cumin. Add the 4 salmon fillets and turn to coat. Set aside while you make the daal, or refrigerate for up to 12 hours.
- Start the daal: heat 1 tablespoon oil in a heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 medium onion (finely chopped) and fry until softened, about 4–5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low and add 6 cloves garlic (minced), 1 tablespoon ginger (minced) and 8 fresh curry leaves. Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring, until fragrant.
- Add 1 cup dried split red lentils, 3½ cups broth, ¾ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ¼ teaspoon ground fennel and ¼ teaspoon ground coriander. Stir to combine.
- Bring the pan to a simmer (leave the pan uncovered while coming to a simmer). Once simmering, reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Cook covered for 35 minutes.
- After 35 minutes, remove the lid and gently stir the lentils. Continue cooking on low, stirring every couple of minutes, until the lentils have broken down and you have a thick daal—about 45 minutes total cooking time (adjust as needed for your lentils).
- Stir in ¼ teaspoon garam masala and taste for salt. Cover the daal to keep warm while you cook the salmon.
- Cook the salmon: heat a large heavy-based skillet over medium heat. Add the marinated salmon fillets presentation side down and cook for 3 minutes. Turn the fillets and cook for a further 3 minutes (adjust time for thickness or desired doneness). Remove the salmon from the pan and place the fillets on top of the covered daal; cover to keep warm.
- Make the tempering/tadka: add 2 tablespoons oil to the same skillet and heat over medium-low. Add 1 small onion (cut into half moons) and cook until softened.
- Increase the heat until the onions sizzle and start to color.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and immediately add 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and 6–10 fresh curry leaves. Let the seeds and leaves sizzle for about 20 seconds.
- Pour the hot oil, onions, seeds and curry leaves over the salmon and daal. Serve immediately.
Equipment
- Shallow Dish
- heavy-based saucepan
- large heavy-based skillet
- Spatula
Notes
You can use fresh or frozen skinless salmon fillets for this recipe, but ensure they are thoroughly defrosted if frozen. My fillets are roughly 6oz/170g each.
The daal will still be delicious if you can't find curry leaves, but they add great flavor. You can often find them in those plastic envelopes in the fresh herb section. Or look for bigger bags of them dried near the Indian section of the grocery store.
You can use chicken or vegetable broth for the daal. Both will add a lovely flavor. If you don't have broth, just use cold tap water, but you may need to add more salt at the end of cooking.
Also known as a Tadka, this is a sizzling flavored oil that's poured over the finished dish. It is an optional step, but totally worth it.
There isn't a large amount of marinade for the salmon. It is more of a spiced oil rub. You want to turn the salmon to coat it all in the spiced oil.
The daal will still be delicious if you can't find curry leaves, but they add great flavor. You can often find them in those plastic envelopes in the fresh herb section. Or look for bigger bags of them dried near the Indian section of the grocery store.
You can use chicken or vegetable broth for the daal. Both will add a lovely flavor. If you don't have broth, just use cold tap water, but you may need to add more salt at the end of cooking.
Also known as a Tadka, this is a sizzling flavored oil that's poured over the finished dish. It is an optional step, but totally worth it.
There isn't a large amount of marinade for the salmon. It is more of a spiced oil rub. You want to turn the salmon to coat it all in the spiced oil.