Tandoori Salmon with Cucumber Sauce
Tandoori Chicken is a classic northern Indian dish. The word “tandoori” comes from the Hindi word “tandoor,” a tall, cylindrical clay oven originally used in northern India to cook meat dishes and bread. Here, we use a tandoori spice mixture as a marinade for salmon. Traditionalists might balk, but when I’m in a hurry, I use a store-bought tandoori spice mixture. In the convection oven, the salmon cooks quickly and is moist and mildly fragrant. A minty cucumber-yogurt sauce adds an authentic flavor.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Tandoori Seasoning
Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
Preparation
Step 1
Rinse the salmon and pat dry with paper towels. Cut it into 8 equal pieces. Place in a single layer on a rimmed plate or tray, skin side down.
Step 2
Mix the yogurt with the garlic, ginger, and Tandoori Seasoning. Spread it evenly over the salmon pieces. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.
Step 3
Arrange the oven racks so that the top rack is just above the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to convection roast at 500°F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray and place the salmon on the pan. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes or just until the salmon is cooked.
Step 4
Remove the salmon to a warmed serving tray, sprinkle with mint, and serve with the Cucumber Yogurt Sauce.
Tandoori Seasoning
Step 5
Position the oven racks so that they are evenly spaced. Preheat the oven to convection bake at 350°F. Combine the peppercorns, coriander seeds, cardamom seeds, and cumin seeds and spread in a shallow baking pan.
Step 6
Place the pan on the center rack of the oven and roast for 20 minutes, until aromatic. Cool. Combine with the remaining spices in a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle and grind until finely pulverized.
Step 7
Store in an airtight container.
Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
Step 8
Combine all the ingredients and put in a serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
