Pan Seared Salmon is a great way to ensure you get a nutrient dense meal when pressed for time. It is quick to put together and tastes absolutely brilliant.
If you have read my post on Pan Seared Basa Fish you already know that I am not a native fish eater and that I have recently resorted to eating fish. I grew up in a vegetarian family so meat was out of question.
But I have been slowly incorporating fish in my diet considering how incredibly nutritious it is. A recommended healthy lifestyle eating habit must include at least two servings of fish per week with at least one of them being the Salmon Fish. Not only is it neutral in taste (read very lil to no fish smell for the underserved like me) but much like chicken, Salmon too adapts to the flavours that it is cooked in making it a flavour dominated dish.
This Pan Seared Salmon or Pan Fried Salmon is flavoured with Tandoori Masala and Lemon juice. And frankly that’s about it. It does not involve an elaborate list of ingredients that you need to prepare in advance.
While you can benefit from marinating the salmon, if you are pressed for time just go for it immediately.
Tandoori Masala is a blend of Indian spices which you can either buy from the store or better yet, make at home in advance as per the directions given below. Tandoori Masala typically used to marinate meat that is cooked in a oven made of clay known as ‘Tandoor’ but whether you have the Tandoor or not – its is just a good to have spice blend in your cabinet. It can be used in multiple gravy preparations, salad dressings etc.
This recipe is also pretty versatile as it is Low Carb, Paleo and Keto all at the same time.
What Do You Eat With Salmon
Well Salmon in itself is so filling but throwing in a side dish to go along will definitely level up the pleasure quotient. We love pairing our Pan Seared Salmon with some Sauteed Asparagus. These sticks are sautéed in Ghee and Italian Seasoning to get the best flavour profile. Ghee makes everything so delicious!
We have also thrown in some Tomato Onion salad to go along. However if you are looking for something else to pair it with we have a great Avocado Dip recipe on the Blog that you might want to check out.
How To Buy Salmon
Well, I may not be a fish eater myself but I have stayed long enough between native fish eaters to know a thing or two about buying a good Salmon Fish. I follow a set of simple rules which I thought can benefit everyone before we dive into the actual recipe
- The fatter your Salmon the better it is for your body. Salmon is a fantastic source of DHA and essential omega 3 fatty acids which are essential for the development of brain both in children and adults. And most of this goodness is stored in its fat – belly fat to be specific. Larger species of Salmon such as King Salmon or Chinook Salmon as it is referred to tend to store more fat and have more omega 3’s fatty oils. However if they are not available you can buy the other species too.
- Wild Caught Salmon is much better than farm raised. Farm raised salmon can be easily infected with parasites, are treated with antibiotics and fed a diet which includes grains and vegetable oils (which we learnt in my post ‘5 things to throw away from your kitchen right now’ is not good for any living being). However with increased awareness about sustainably raised fishes an increasing number of fish farmers have changed their fishing practices to mimic the practices of raising fish naturally i.e. with lowest contamination – which can provide you legit high quality nutrient dense fish. Hence, always buy your fish from a trusted fishmonger.
- If you can get your hands on the Wild Alaskan Salmon – its probably the best quality fish that you can get. There is very little chance of contamination in Alaska so even if the packaging does not say ‘organic’ – Alaskan Salmon would be your best bet.
Now that you know how to buy your own fish… lets make some Pan Fried Salmon
Pan Seared Salmon - Paleo / Keto / Low Carb
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet
- Mixing bowl
- Tongs / Spatula
Ingredients
Pan Seared Salmon
- 4 fillets Alaskan Salmon Buy organic if you cant find Alaskan
- 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- 4 tbsp Grass Fed Butter or Ghee
- 1 tbsp Tandoori Masala
- Himalayan Sea Salt to taste
- Black Pepper to taste
- 4 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 2 tbsp Lemon Zest
Pan Sauteed Asparagus
- 10 sticks Asparagus
- 1 tbsp Ghee
- 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning optional
- Salt & pepper to taste
Tomato Onion Salad
- 1 Onion
- 1 Tomato
- 1 tbsp Coriander Leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice
Tandoori Masala
- 1 tbsp Red Chilli powder
- 2 tbsp Coriander powder
- 1.5 tbsp Cumin powder
- 1 tsp Ginger powder
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Black peppercorns
- 1 tsp Black Cardamom
- 1 tsp Mustard powder
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Star Anise
- 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/4th tsp Asafoetida
Instructions
Pan Seared Salmon
- Grease the Salmon Fillets with salt, pepper and Tandoori Masala
- Next heat the skillet & once its adequately hot add grassfed butter or ghee & wait until it gets brown
- Then add ginger garlic paste and saute it for about 30 seconds or until it gets fragrant
- Next lay the salmon fillets on the skillet and cook them from each side for about 2-3 minutes
- While the salmon is cooking add in the lemon juice & zest & more tandoori masala if needed
- Flip the fillets and repeat the same from the other side
- Serve hot with pan sueteed asparagus and tomato onion salad
Sauteed Asparagus
- Chop off the bottom ends of the asparagus
- Add ghee to the iron cast skillet and once it gets adequately hot add in the asparagus sticks
- Next add in salt, pepper and italian seasoning
- Cook them until they are done (about 5 mins) - keep mixing and moving them throughout with the help of a wooden ladle
- Serve Hot with Salmon
Tomato Onion Salad
- Finely chop the tomato, onion and coriander leaves
- Mix them well in a bowl and garnish with salt, pepper and lemon juice
- Serve with Salmon & Asparagus
Tandoori Masala
- Mix all the ingredients and blend in the blender
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature