The term 'fatty fish' may sound strange, but actually these happen to be the tastiest and healthiest foods from the sea. Fatty acids can play a very big role in increasing HDL (the good cholesterol). According to research, replacing saturated fats with Omega-3's like those found in salmon, sardines, tuna and herring can raise good cholesterol as much as 4%. Wild salmon is packed with Omega-3 fatty acids, a group of essential polyunsaturated fats. These fats are considered essential because the body cannot create them and therefore can only be obtained through food. Studies show that just by eating two 115-gram servings of salmon a week, HDL levels in adults rose upto 4%.
I make it a point to serve my family Omega-3 rich seafood at least once a week. Thai curry is pretty versatile so you can have it extra hot 'n spicy or just creamy 'n mild to suit your palate. This particular recipe is for the spice lovers and it's pretty evident with the rich red colour of the curry. If you like this version do give this recipe a try and tag your creations socially at #saffronbowl.
Ingredients
500 grams, Salmon slices
2 tsp sesame oil
2 heaped tbsp Thai red curry paste
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery slices
2 cups coconut milk
1 cup cubed fresh pumpkin
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 tsp fish sauce
Himalayan Salt as per taste
Chopped spring onions (for garnish)
Clean the fish slices really well with plenty of salt and fresh water to avoid 'smelly fish' odour.
Put a sauce pan on medium heat and add the sesame oil. Then add the onion and celery, with a pinch of salt and stir fry to get them slightly soft and tender. Once the onion is translucent, add the curry paste and sauté until the paste becomes a much darker colour and you get an amazing fragrance. Pour half the quantity of the coconut milk and mix well to ensure that the paste melts into the coconut milk. Let it come to a boil, then lower the flame, now add the pumpkin cubes, Salmon slices and the remaining coconut milk along with a dash of salt. Make sure that you don't stir the fish around too much or else the meat may break apart. Bring this once again to a boil and then turn down the flame to a simmer for another 15-20 minutes. You can also add more water if you feel it's too thick, or more coconut milk if it's too thin a gravy. Once the Salmon looks tender enough, add the fish sauce and the red bell peppers. Turn off the flame and do a taste check to adjust the salt levels but remember that the red curry paste has its own salt content, and so does the fish sauce.
Garnish the curry with sliced up spring onions and serve it hot with jasmine rice or gluten-free noodles (these are available in the Mungbean, rice or cornstarch varieties).
Tip- In case you need a milder curry for the kids, make it 1 tbsp curry paste and add more thick coconut milk. If you are a shrimp lover, try this recipe with 500 grams cleaned shrimps. You can skip the first part of softening the onions and celery and directly roast the curry paste if you're not a fan of these veggies. I love adding veggies to this gravy as they also soak up the amazing flavours of Salmon and the red curry. If you don't like pumpkin, try carrots, broccoli, cauliflour, bok choy or even Chinese cabbage cut into bite sized pieces.
Here's the same curry (much milder in colour and less spicy too) cooked with Shrimps, broccoli and carrots.
Allergic to seafood and want to try this curry? Replace the 500 grams salmon meat with sliced chicken or turkey fillet and cook until the meat is tender. Vegan's can click here for a quick and easy Vegan Thai Curry.