“My mother and I created this special dish for our Epicurean Indian Valentine cooking class. When putting the menu together for this class, we were mindful to choose red vegetables and spices, so any recipe using our Tandoori Marinade Spice Blend would fit in quite nicely. This recipe isn’t too fussy, so it’s a good one to prepare for Valentine’s Day—or for a summer barbecue.” – New Indian Basics: 100 Traditional and Modern Recipes from Arvinda’s Family Kitchen by Preena Chauhan and Arvinda Chauhan, Appetite by Random House
In a medium bowl, place the salmon filets. In a small bowl, combine the oil, tandoori marinade spice blend, and salt and mix well. Add the marinade to the salmon, coating well on all sides. Cover the bowl and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Heat a large non-stick, heavy-bottomed skillet on medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon oil. Arrange the salmon filets in the skillet and cook on one side for 5 minutes. Using a pastry brush, glaze the salmon with maple syrup. Flip and cook for another 5 minutes or until the salmon reaches your desired doneness, and glaze the top with maple syrup.
Garnish the salmon with fresh mint to taste and serve with Minty Green Cilantro Chutney (page 53), Lemon Coconut Cranberry Pullao (page 227), and a vegetable side. The perfect salad pairing would be our Beet, Carrot & Cabbage Kachumber with Garam Masala Vinaigrette (page 69), as it’s also a beautiful red color.