Salmon Brochettes with Yogurt and Indian Spices

[carswell]

Ignorance doesn't preclude daring (or is it presumptuousness?). And here's proof: a recipe I developed a few years ago when facing a surfeit of salmon. While the dish has proved popular with guests and friends, none are experts in Indian cooking. So I'd be interested in feedback from the august members of this forum (the September ones, too ). Care to critique this recipe? And tell me, is it unorthodox to combine fish and yogurt?

For what it's worth, I often serve this with palak or phali aaloo (potatoes cooked with spinach or green beans). And it's one of the rare instances where I actually prefer Pacific salmon to Atlantic.

Brochettes of Salmon Marinated in Yogurt and Indian Spices

About 1 pound skinless salmon filet, cut into 1½-inch chunks (you should have around 16 chunks)

1 cup whole-milk yogurt

1–2 fresh chiles, seeded and minced

Scant 1/2 teaspoon anise seeds

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds

8 green cardamon seeds, hulled

1 clove

10 black peppercorns

Fresh ginger, a piece about the size of the first joint of your thumb

2 green peppers, cored and cut into 1½-inch squares

1–2 medium onions, preferably red, peeled and cut into 1½-inch squares

Sea salt

Place the spices in a small skillet and fry over medium-high heat until toasted. Transfer to a mortar or grinder and grind to a coarse powder. In a nonreactive bowl, combine the spices, chiles, yogurt and ginger, either squeezed through a garlic press or finely minced. Add the salmon, cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, preferably 4 or 5.

When ready to cook the fish, take a skewer and on it thread a piece of pepper, a piece of onion and a piece of fish (the fish should be only lightly coated with yogurt). Repeat three times so that the skewer has four pieces of salmon on it. End with a piece of onion and pepper. Repeat for the other skewers.

Grill the brochettes over a medium fire or broil them close to a preheated broiler 2–3 minutes a side, 10–11 minutes in all. Season with salt and serve.

Two to four servings

edit: Oh, and can anyone suggest a less prosaic name for the recipe?

Edited August 22, 2004 by carswell (log)

[Monica Bhide]

Carswell - I am PMing you a recipe of mine for salmon with yogurt due out in a national glossy shortly

In some cuisines in India the fish yogurt combo is considered dynamite and it is - the Bengali Doi maach for instance where fish is simmered in a yogurt sauce.

I frequently marinate fish in a yogurt marinade

I remember my grandmother was completely against the yogurt fish combo deal. I dont remember why. I will call dad and ask him

Do let me know what you think of my recipe

As far as critiquing yours - cant do it until I try it. From the looks of it it looks really quite good

[gingerly]

one very commonly held belief is that the fish and milk/curd combination causes leucoderma.

okay ,so i just report this stuff.

edit:looks like a sequel to Monica's last contest-'name that fish!'

Edited August 23, 2004 by gingerly (log)

[whippy]

ranjit rai in his tandoori cookbook suggests using a romertopf as a sort of makeshift tandoor. i haven't tried this, but maybe your recipe would also work this way? if you do try it, i think i'd want to marinate the salmon longer, or try to use fattier pieces, or baste with ghee to keep things moist.

[BBhasin]

Carswell -  I am PMing you a recipe of mine for salmon with yogurt due out in a national glossy shortly

In some cuisines in India the fish yogurt combo is considered dynamite and it is - the Bengali Doi maach for instance where fish is simmered in a yogurt sauce.

I frequently marinate fish in a yogurt marinade

I remember my grandmother was completely against the yogurt fish combo deal. I dont remember why. I will call dad and ask him

Do let me know what you think of my recipe

As far as critiquing yours - cant do it until I try it. From the looks of it it looks really quite good

Monica!!

I am probably going to get a very angry email from you but I am going to say this anyway. It is very bugging to read your post that you are emailing/PMing a reciepe to someone and not posting on the thread/discussion. Please do not leave us out, we love you too!

bhasin

[Monica Bhide]

BBhasin - this recipe is yet unpublished and is on contract for a national mag - cannot post it here sorry - when its out I will be sure to post it.