SALMON WITH YOGURT-CURRY SAUCE

Salmon With Yogurt-Curry Sauce image

With its rich flesh, salmon is so strongly flavored that you can pair it with just about anything. Here I cook it with a yogurt sauce that contains just chopped cucumber and spices. If you use farmed salmon and a nonstick skillet, you won't even need to add any fat. That's because farmed salmon is so high in fat (fattier than wild salmon, and it's the beneficial omega-3 type, too) that it's difficult to overcook. This is not to say you can put it on the stove and walk away, but that precision is a goal rather than a necessity. Even if you like your fish cooked through, the result will be a piece of meat that still has a fair amount of moisture in it.

Provided by Mark Bittman

Time 20m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
1 small cucumber, peeled
Salt and pepper
10 cardamom pods, remove seeds and discard hulls
1 3-inch cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg pieces (smack a whole nutmeg with a hammer)
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
2 tablespoons neutral oil, like corn or grapeseed, if necessary
4 6-ounce salmon fillets
Lime wedges

Steps:

If yogurt is very thin, put it in a cheesecloth-lined strainer over a bowl. Cut cucumber in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Chop flesh, sprinkle it with salt and put in a strainer over a bowl.
If making spice mix (see note), combine all spices in a skillet and toast over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Grind to a coarse powder in a spice mill.
Put a skillet over medium heat; if it is other than nonstick, add oil. Season fish with salt and pepper and add it to pan; raise heat to medium high. Combine cucumber with yogurt and one tablespoon of spice mix in a bowl; taste and adjust seasoning.
After salmon has cooked for 4 minutes, turn it and cook on other side another 2 to 5 minutes. Serve, browned side up, with sauce and lime on the side.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 445, UnsaturatedFat 15 grams, Carbohydrate 12 grams, Fat 27 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 39 grams, SaturatedFat 7 grams, Sodium 746 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams, TransFat 0 grams