"Tandoori" Mango Salmon
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What I love about mango chutney, which is made from raw, green mangoes, is its balance of sweet and sour. It tastes distinctly of both sugar and of vinegar. I love the way the sweet caramelizes when cooked, and the way the sour cuts through fattiness. Which makes it the perfect compliment to a simple broiled salmon–caramelized around the edges, with just that point of acidity to balance the salmon’s strong, oily flavor.
I do a little variation on my traditional tandoori preparation here. I start with a basic marinade of yogurt and spices, and add the chutney. When the salmon broils directly under the heat (my makeshift tandoori oven), the yogurt bakes, and the chutney helps to caramelize it. It’s this perfect sweet and savory contrast in a thick crust on the fish. I serve it with a simple tossed salad with curried vinaigrette. It’s an exotic take on something very simple and standard and accessible.
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain (preferably Greek) yogurt
- 1/4 cup mango chutney
- 8 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- 4 teaspoons finely shopped shallot
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, smashed
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 1/2-pound fillets of salmon, boneless and skinless
- Olive oil for drizzling
Procedure
Preheat the broiler. In a rectangular baking dish, stir together the yogurt, chutney, lime juice, shallot, and cumin. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pat the salmon dry, and place it in the yogurt sauce, turning it to coat.
Line a baking sheet with foil, and grease it lightly with olive oil. Place the salmon in a single layer on the sheet, and spoon the yogurt sauce so it sits on top of the salmon fillets. Drizzle the salmon lightly with olive oil to help the yogurt brown in the oven. Broil until the salmon is cooked through, and the yogurt turns golden-brown around the edges, about 12 minutes. Serve with lime wedges, and a salad tossed with curry vinaigrette.