Trust me when I say this is one of the tastiest plates or meal preps you will ever have! This is Seared Salmon with Indian Spices, Cashew Gravy and Okra Masala. I got my beautiful fillets of salmon from @MetroOntario. The staff is super knowledgeable and can share information with you about the sustainability of seafood at Metro, as well as cooking suggestions and ingredient combinations.
There are three main elements to this dish – the seared salmon, basted in warm Indian spices, the cashew gravy, blended until perfectly smooth and creamy and beautifully seasoned and the okra masala which is a nice veggies side that is surely not skimping on flavour all served on top of a bed of rice. I love this meal because it keeps extremely well which makes it the perfect meal prep and is a nice balance of flavour, textures and ingredients. If you want to add some extra fibre you can swap out the white rice for brown.
Seared Salmon with Indian Spices, Cashew Gravy and Okra Masala
Ingredients
Salmon
- 2 large salmon fillets 700 – 750 gram total, skin on, sliced in half
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large salmon fillet cut in half
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
Gravy
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 small red onion chopped
- 2 Fresh Red chillies
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder Haldi
- 1/4 cup cashew nuts soaked in water
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek leaves.
- Salt to taste
Okra (Bhindi) Masala
- 2 ½ tablespoons oil divided
- 3 cups okra chopped into rounds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 medium red onion chopped
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 Fresh Red chillies whole or chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes chopped
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek leaves.
Salt to taste
- To serve:
- 2 cups Boiled Basmati Rice – White or Brown
Instructions
Gravy
- In a pan on medium heat, add your oil, add your cumin seeds and saute for 30 seconds until fragrant
- Add your chopped red chillies and follow with diced red onion
- Sautee until your onions begin to become translucent and add your minced ginger and garlic. Sautee for a minute.
- Add your tomato paste and saute for 2 minutes.
- In a blender add your soaked cashews with water they were soaked in, your tomato mixture using some water to deglaze the pan.
- Blend until very smooth and return to the pan. Using some water to rinse out the blender to get any of the gravy stuck in the blender and pour that into your pan.
- With the pan on simmer, add your dry spices, turmeric, paprika, garam masala and fenugreek leaves and mix in.
- Set aside until other elements are ready.
Okra (Bhindi) Masala
- In a pan on medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil and fry okra for about 4-5 minutes and season with salt to taste. Fry until the okra becomes green and is partly cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan add remaining oil, add your cumin seeds and saute for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add your chopped red chillies and follow with diced red onion
- Saute until your onions begin to become translucent and add your minced ginger and garlic. Sautee for a minute.
- Add your diced tomato and saute for 6 – 10 minutes until water from tomatoes has reduced and tomato begins to get mushy.
- With the pan on low, add your dry spices, turmeric, paprika, garam masala and fenugreek leaves and mix in and season with salt to taste. Do not over season, remember your okra is also seasoned.
- Add your okra into the pan, mix well and taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary and serve with other elements.
Salmon
- Make your salmon last because the other elements can be easily heated.
- Cut salmon into your serving sizes.
- Pat your salmon dry with a paper towel and season all sides with salt and pepper.
- In a non-stick pan, cast iron or stainless steel pan, place on high heat.
- Add a tablespoon of oil, coat the pan by tilting the pan around and place your salmon skin down.
- Pan fry for about 4-5 minutes depending on thickness and carefully flip your fish. If your fish does not lift easily, be patient, let it sear and it will release once the skin is nicely browned.
- Pan sear the other side for about 2 minutes then add an additional tablespoon or two of oil to the pan, and all your dried spices. Baste your salmon with the oil and spices for 2 more minutes or until you have reached desired doneness for your salmon.
