This simple recipe for grilled salmon is easy to make and tastes truly heavenly. The special Thai marinade is a perfect match for the richness of salmon, enhancing and bringing out all of its naturally succulent taste. This recipe will show you how to cook salmon easily and quickly, and includes lots of cooking tips to help you get your salmon just right. For best results, look for wild fillets of salmon, or salmon steaks. Finish this dish with a no-cook coconut sauce, and you have the perfect salmon recipe for your barbecue or cookout!
Prep Time: 12 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- SERVES 4
- 4 salmon fillets or steaks, preferably fresh (if using frozen, be sure to thaw completely)
- a little oil to "grease" the grill
- MARINADE:
- 4 Tbsp. Thai Sweet Chili Sauce (available by the bottle at most large grocery stores, and all Asian/Chinese food stores)
- 1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 Tbsp. fish sauce (or substitue 1 extra Tbsp. soy sauce)
- 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. garlic (about 3 cloves, minced)
- NO-COOK COCONUT SAMBAL SAUCE:
- 1/2 can good-quality coconut milk (about 1 cup)
- 1-2 fresh red chilies, minced, OR 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (note that cayenne will turn the sambal slightly pink)
- 1/2 thumb-size piece of galangal OR ginger, grated
- 1/2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 1 Tbsp. fish sauce OR 1+1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 2-4 tsp. brown sugar (more or less to taste)
Preparation:
- Make the marinade by combining all marinade ingredients together in a bowl. Note that the fresh coriander will gradually soften and meld with the other ingredients.
- Rinse and pat dry the salmon fillets or steaks. Be sure to leave the skin on.
- Place them in a large or long flat-bottomed dish and pour the marinade over.
- Turn the salmon several times in the marinade. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes while you warm up the grill.
- Prepare the grill by cleaning it, then brushing with a little vegetable oil to prevent sticking.
- To make the coconut sambal, simply stir all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then do a taste-test for salt and sweetness. Add more fish or soy sauce if not salty enough, or more sugar if too sour for your taste. You can also add more fresh chili or cayenne if not spicy enough. If too spicy, add more coconut milk. Set aside.
- When your grill/barbecue is hot, place the salmon fillets or steaks on it, spooning over some of the left-over marinade from the bottom of the bowl. Salmon is cooked when light pink in color and flesh is no longer translucent.
- Serve the grilled salmon with plain rice and the coconut sambal as a sauce on the side. ENJOY!
