SEATTLE —
Cashew Salmon
Pla Salmon Pad Med Mamuang Himapan |
ปลาแซลมอนผัดเม็ดมะม่วงหิมพานต์
Before meeting me, my husband’s favorite Thai takeout dish was cashewchicken. So, naturally, when I came into his life, it became his most requested Thai meal. Not wanting to make the exact same thing all the time, I changed things up by using salmon instead of chicken. It was fantastic, and it gave me a very good excuse to add more fish to our diet. The secret to making sure that the salmon doesn’t break when you stir-fry is to not fully cook it, so the middle doesn’t become flaky—that’s what will hold the fish together. Not to mention that medium-cooked salmon is so much more moist and delicious anyway! Flavor-wise, any other fish will work, but stick to firm-flesh fish, since stir-frying delicate fish is a recipe for a broken mess. A delicious mess, mind you, but still a mess. See the sidebar for an alternative cooking method that works with delicate fish.
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Make the sauce by whisking all the ingredients in a small bowl.
Place a well-seasoned wok or large nonstick skillet over high heat and add the oil. Once the oil is very hot, add the salmon in a single layer without crowding the pan; you may need to do this in batches. Sear the salmon until browned on the underside and abouthalfway cooked, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the salmon and sear the other side for just 30 seconds, then turn off the heat and remove the salmon from the pan, leaving all the oilbehind; the salmon should be slightly undercooked— this will help keep it moist and prevent breaking.
With the heat still off, add the garlic and onions to the pan, then turn the heat to medium and stir until the garlic starts to turn golden.
Turn the heat up to high and add the mushrooms and peppers, and toss for about 1 minute.
Add the salmon back in, along with any collected juices, then add the sauce, cashews, and ½ teaspoon (2 ml) sugar. Toss gently for 10 to 15 seconds, just until the salmon is evenly coated in the sauce, then turn off the heat.Taste the sauce and add more sugar if needed, as the sweetness of the chili paste can vary between brands.
Transfer the salmon and veggies to a shallow bowl and top with green onions. Garnishwith more cashews, if desired, and serve with jasmine rice.
SERVES 4
COOKING TIME: 20 minutes
SAUCE
- 1½ tablespoons (22 ml) Thai chili paste, store-bought or homemade (p. 258)
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oyster sauce
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) sesame oil
- ½ to 1 teaspoon (2 to 5 ml) roasted chili flakes, store-bought or homemade (p. 263), to taste (optional)
STIR-FRY
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) neutral oil
- 1 pound (450 g) salmon, cut in big chunks 5 cloves (25 g) garlic, chopped
- ¼ large yellow onion, cut in ¼-inch (6 mm) strips
- 4 ounces (120 g) shimeji or oyster mushrooms
- ½ red bell pepper, julienned
- 1/3 cup (45 g) unsalted roasted cashews, plus extra for garnish
- ½ to 1 teaspoon (2 to 5 ml) granulated sugar 1 to 2 green onions, chopped
- Jasmine rice, for serving
Do-ahead: Make extra sauce and keep it in the fridge so you have it ready to go; it will keep indefinitely.
Segment Producer Joseph Suttner. Watch New Day Northwest 11 a.m. weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day.