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Coconut Curry Salmon

Broiled salmon with a salty-sweet spice rub, creamy coconut curry sauce, and steamy rice to soak it all up. YUM.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Cuisine: Chinese
Calories: 120
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Salmon & Spice Rub
  • 1.5 pounds salmon filet
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 0.5 teaspoon onion powder
  • 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt more for a larger filet
  • 1.5 teaspoons olive oil
Coconut Curry Sauce & Serving
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 small knob ginger minced
  • 1 tablespoon lemongrass paste
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon red curry paste
  • 13.5 fl oz full-fat coconut milk one can
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce or soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup lime juice plus zest, to taste
  • 3 cups fresh spinach chopped
  • 0.25 cup fresh cilantro or basil, mint, chopped, for garnish
  • 2 cups uncooked white rice

Method
 

Preparation Steps
  1. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with foil. Place one of the oven racks about 6 inches from the top.
  2. Cook rice according to package instructions. Keep warm.
Cooking the Salmon & Curry
  1. In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, curry powder, onion powder, garlic powder, kosher salt, and 1.5 teaspoons olive oil to make a paste. Place the salmon skin side down on the prepared baking sheet. Rub the paste liberally over the top of the salmon.
  2. Bake the salmon for 6-12 minutes, depending on its thickness and your desired doneness. For an average filet, 8-10 minutes is usually sufficient.
  3. While the salmon bakes, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add minced garlic, ginger, and lemongrass paste; sauté for 5 minutes until fragrant.
  4. Stir in the remaining brown sugar and red curry paste; sauté for another 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
  5. Pour in the can of coconut milk. Bring to a gentle simmer. Season with fish sauce (or soy sauce), lime juice, and lime zest to taste. Add the fresh spinach; stir into the sauce until wilted, about 1-2 minutes.
Serving
  1. Flake the cooked salmon or serve whole portions over the warm rice. Ladle the creamy coconut curry sauce generously over the salmon and rice. Garnish with fresh herbs like cilantro, basil, or mint, and an extra squeeze of lime juice if desired.

Notes

This recipe delivers a rich, flavorful, and incredibly satisfying meal that's surprisingly quick to make. If you prefer, you can cut the salmon into steaks, salt and pepper them, and just add them to the simmering coconut curry sauce for 8-10 minutes to poach the salmon. While I prefer the texture of roasted/spiced salmon, both methods yield delicious results. Serve with fluffy white rice for best results.