Salmon Rice Bowl is a complete meal in itself consisting of a vegetable salad and pan-fried salmon served over a bed of yellow rice, finished with a drizzle of mint yogurt sauce. To save time, you can also serve over white steamed rice and serve sliced cucumbers in place of cucumber salad. For the sauce, stir in your favorite pesto with yogurt.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 2 · 2 to 3
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: world

Ingredients

  • 350 grams (12 ounces) salmon ((cubed to 1 inch))
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • ½ teaspoon paprika ((or red chili powder or chili flakes))
  • ¾ teaspoon garlic powder ((or 2 cloves garlic minced))
  • ¾ teaspoon onion powder
  • ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon black pepper (crushed/powder)
  • ¼ to ⅓ teaspoon salt ((adjust to taste))
  • ½ to ¾ teaspoon garam masala ((or ½ tsp coriander + ½ tsp cumin powder))
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sugar or brown sugar ((optional))
  • 1 teaspoon soya sauce (or tamari (optional))
  • ½ teaspoon rice vinegar (or 1 tsp lemon juice)
  • 1 cup basmati rice ((or any rice of choice))
  • 1½ to 2 cups water or stock ((adjust according to your rice))
  • ½ teaspoon salt ((adjust to taste))
  • ½ to ¾ tablespoon butter (or 1 tsp ghee/oil)
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ to ¾ teaspoon garam masala ((adjust to taste))
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper crushed ((optional))
  • 1 large cucumber ((Japanese, Persian or English, chopped))
  • 1 medium ripe tomato ((deseeded if required & chopped))
  • ¼ cup parsley (or cilantro fine chopped)
  • 1 small red onion (fine chopped)
  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil ((or flax oil))
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • salt if required
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup yogurt
  • ¾ cup mint leaves ((or use pesto as required))
  • ½ cup cilantro
  • 1 small garlic clove
  • ¼ inch ginger ((peeled, optional))
  • ¼ to ⅓ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ to ½ small green chili pepper ((deseeded or black pepper as required))

Method

Make Rice

  1. Rinse rice at least thrice and drian the water completely. To a pot/pan, add butter and melt it on a low flame. Stir in turmeric and salt, followed by water/stock.
  2. Cover and bring the water to a rapid boil. Add the rice and increase the heat to bring to a boil.
  3. Reduce the heat completely and cook covered until all of the water is absorbed by the rice. This takes about 12 to 14 mins depending on your stove.
  4. Once the water is absorbed, open the lid and sprinkle the garlic powder, black pepper and garam masala. Do not stir. Cover and let rest for 15 mins. Later taste test and add more salt and seasoning if required.

Make Mint Yogurt Sauce

  1. While the rice cooks, pluck the mint and coriander leaves, rinse, drain and add them to a small grinder/blender. Add ginger garlic salt pepper or chili and 1 tablespoon yogurt.
  2. Blend until smooth and stir in the rest of the yogurt. Mix well with a whisk, do not blend after adding more yogurt. Taste test and adjust salt.

Make Salad

  1. Wash and chop the cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and herbs. Transfer them to a bowl. Sprinkle lemon juice, oil and black pepper just before serving.

Pan-Fry Salmon

  1. Mix together soya sauce and vinegar in a bowl. Keep aside. Add all the seasoning spices to a bowl and mix well. Keep aside.
  2. Pat dry the salmon cubes. Heat a non-stick pan with oil and spread it all over the pan. Place the salmon cubes (with the skin side down if it has skin).
  3. Let cook for 3 to 4 mins on a medium to medium high heat. Using a spatula or a tong gently turn them to the other side and pan-fry until cooked through, for another 3 to 4 mins, depending on the thickness of the salmon.
  4. Salmon is considered fully cooked when the internal temperature of the thickest part reaches 145 F. If you do not have a meat thermometer, you will know it is done when it flakes easily with the touch of a fork.
  5. Pour soya sauce/tamari and vinegar all over the salmon. Immediately sprinkle the spices all over. Turn off the heat and gently turn the pieces if required to coat the sauce and spices in the pan. Taste test and adjust the seasoning.

How to Make Salmon Rice Bowls

  1. Fluff up the rice in the pot with a fork and divide the rice to 2 large serving bowls. Place the salmon, salad and drizzle yogurt mint sauce as preferred.
  2. Serve salmon rice bowls hot or warm.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.