I like to think outside the box when it comes to food, and this dish has Thai and Indian elements. One might not expect flavors from both sides of the Bay of Bengal to marry well, but seared salmon rubbed with garam masala is delicious when paired with jasmine rice cooked in coconut milk with mangos, cilantro and peas. I finished the dish with a rich curry-coconut sauce.?

Ingredients

• Box of jasmine rice (white rice will also work)
• 1 can of coconut milk
• Salt
• ? cup of chopped dried or fresh mangos
• 1 lemon
• Cilantro
• Frozen peas
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
• Pepper
• 1 teaspoon of curry powder
• Cinnamon
• Salmon filets (follow Trader Joe’s thawing directions)
• Garam masala (my version had coriander, chilies, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin and cloves – the five Cs)
• Cooking oil

Directions

• 1. Pour the contents of a box of rice into a medium saucepan and follow the cooking instructions. My jasmine rice called for 2 cups of water, so I used 1 cup of coconut milk, 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt.
• 2. Start rehydrating the dried mangos in a pan with a ? cup of water, over medium heat. Remove from the heat when they are soft. This is not necessary if you have fresh mangos.?
• 3. When the rice is finished, add mangos, chopped cilantro, thawed peas, juice of half a lemon and salt to taste. ?
• 4. For the sauce, heat the minced shallots and garlic in butter with salt and pepper. When they are fragrant and soft, add the remaining coconut milk. Finish with curry powder, lemon juice and cinnamon. I chose to strain out the garlic and shallots for a cleaner looking sauce. Reheat when the salmon is finished.?
• 5. For the salmon, salt and pepper the flesh and massage with plenty of garam masala.
• 6. Heat a nonstick pan and pour on a thin layer of canola or olive oil. Sear the filets skin-side down first. Also, start the thick piece first and watch the side until almost all the flesh has lightened in color. Flip and cook the spiced side for a minute, being careful not to burn the spices.?
• 7. When the fish is firm and flaky, serve immediately over a mound of coconut rice and spoon over the coconut-curry sauce. Garnish with cilantro leaves.?