Coconut Miso Salmon Curry: A Flavorful Fusion Delight

My daughter found this salmon curry with coconut miso recipe on the N.Y. Times website and enjoyed it so much that she made a video on how she prepares it for me. She makes it for us whenever she visits. Let's look at some of the ingredients.

Miso

Miso is a traditional Japanese ingredient that has gained popularity worldwide for its unique and complex flavors. It is a thick paste made by fermenting soybeans and other grains, like rice or barley, with a koji starter culture and salt. This fermentation process can take weeks, months, or even years, resulting in different types and intensities of miso.

Miso offers a savory umami taste, known as the fifth basic taste, which adds depth and richness to dishes. It has a distinctive and robust flavor profile ranging from mild and sweet to deeply savory and earthy, depending on the type of miso used. The color of miso can also vary, from light yellow to deep brown, reflecting its fermentation time and ingredients.

In Japanese cuisine, miso is a versatile ingredient used in soups, marinades, glazes, dressings, and desserts. Miso soup, a staple in Japanese households, combines miso paste with dashi broth and various ingredients like tofu, seaweed, and vegetables. Miso also works well as a flavor enhancer in stir-fries, braised dishes, and sauces, adding complexity and depth to the overall flavor profile.

Not only does miso provide rich flavors, but it also offers nutritional benefits. It is a good source of protein, vitamins, minerals, and beneficial enzymes. Miso contains probiotics that promote gut health and is often considered a fermented superfood.

Coconut Milk

Coconut milk is a creamy and flavorful liquid extracted from the grated flesh of mature coconuts. It is a staple ingredient in many Southeast Asian, Caribbean, and Indian cuisines, known for its rich, tropical taste and versatility.

Coconut milk is created by blending water with the grated coconut meat and then straining the mixture. The resulting milk has a smooth consistency and a distinctively sweet and nutty flavor.

It is commonly used in curries, soups, desserts, and beverages, adding a luscious creaminess and a hint of exotic flavor. Coconut milk is also a popular dairy-free alternative in vegan and lactose-free cooking, making it a versatile ingredient for various dietary preferences.

Protein

Although this recipe calls for salmon, you can substitute other seafood delights, including white fish, shrimp, or scallops. It would be easy to substitute chicken or try tofu if you wanted to make it vegetarian.

Where's the curry?

If you are looking for a traditional curry, as mentioned in one of the comments, the term curry refers to a cooking style rather than a specific combination of spices. There are many different styles of curry; this one comes from the blend of basil, garlic, ginger, and miso.

Ingredients

Here are some of the ingredients in this recipe with links to more information about each, including what it is, how to buy, how to prepare and much more:

📖 Recipe

Print Recipe

Salmon Curry with Coconut Miso

Indulge in the delectable fusion of flavors with our Salmon Curry recipe, featuring the creamy richness of coconut milk and miso.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: curry, miso

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons canola oil or vegetable oil
1 medium onion halved and sliced into ½ inch thick pieces
1 inch fresh ginger minced finely
3 cloves garlic sliced thinly
¼ cup white miso
½ cup canned coconut milk unsweetened and full fat
1½ pounds salmon filet cut into 2 inch pieces
5 ounces baby spinach washed and dried
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
steamed rice jasmine, basmati, or white
¼ cup fresh basil chopped, for garnish
¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Start by heating 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large pan.
Add the onion, then ginger, then the garlic. Cook for 4 minutes until these ingredients soften. Be sure to stir while cooking.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add the miso and continue cooking and stirring until the miso lightly carmelizes. This should take a couple of minutes.
Add 3 cups of water and the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Cook for approximately 5 minutes until the liquids reduce slightly.
Add the salmon to the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Bring the liquids to a gentle simmer and cook for approximately 5 minutes until the salmon is cooked through.
Turn off the heat, add the spinach and lime juice, and give everything a good stir.
When the salmon is perfectly cooked, serve it with rice and topped with the salmon curry, basil and cilantro. Finish the plate or bowl with lime wedges for garnish and squeeze over the salmon.