Saffron Flavoured Salmon

Ingredients: 

Salmon filets - 2 

Onions - 1 large sliced

Tomatoes - 1 small

Garlic cloves - 2 

Fresh thai red chilly - 1 chopped

Cilantro - 1 tbs chopped

Saffron - a pinch

Olive oil - 2 tbs

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Black pepper - to sprinkle

Paprika - 1/2 tsp

Lime juice - 1 tbs

Salt - to taste 

Method:

1. Clean, wash the salmon filets and towel dry them. Rub salt and leave aside.

2. In a sauce pan fry the onions in 1 tbs olive oil till golden brown.

3. Add chopped garlic, turmeric, paprika, salt and black pepper followed by tomatoes. 

4. Cook till tomatoes soften a bit and then with an electric hand blender, blend all the ingredients well to get a coarse paste. Add the fresh chopped thai red chilly and cilantro. 

5. Soak and crush the saffron threads in a little warm water and add it to the onion mixture. 

6. Smear this saffron onion mixture on the salmon filets, squeeze some lime or lemon juice and leave them to marinate for 10 - 15 mins. 

7. Heat a caste iron skillet add 1 tbs olive oil and place the filets in it till the bottom gets fried and is a bit crispy. 

8. Now remove from the stove and bake in the oven pre-heated at 400 degrees celsius for just 8 minutes. 

9. Remove from the oven and serve them hot with lemon wedges and a nutritious salad. I served it with Kale salad and sautéed black beans garnished with chopped cilantro. 

10. Do not over bake the salmon. It should be just done, which means crispy on the outside and juicy inside. Mine was perfectly done in just 8 minutes.

For the sautéed black beans: 

1.Boil 1/2 cup of black beans (soaked overnight) in a pot till soft. They should be al dente and not mushy. Or use canned beans instead. Keep aside. 

2. Heat 1/2 a tsp of vegetable oil in a sauce pan. Throw in 1/4 tsp of black mustard seeds and as soon as they start spluttering add 1/2 tsp chopped garlic followed by half a small chopped onion and fry till translucent. 

3. Add the cooked black beans to the pan and sauté with the onions. Give it a stir and remove from the stove. Drizzle some fresh squeezed lemon juice and enjoy.