Thai-Style Steamed Salmon with Tamarind-Ginger Sauce - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is one of those recipes I stumbled on and pondered for a ridiculous amount of time before actually making it. I hope you occasionally do the same thing and understand how that can happen. I kept this recipe on the back burner for several years before taking down my steamer and having a go at it. I regret not making it sooner. I found the original recipe on the Dean and DeLuca Web site, which you can find here. I have no affiliation with them, but I greatly admire their site and the recipes I've found there. The dish requires some chopping and access to a source for tamarind pulp or concentrate, but it is really simple to do. The finished dish is a delightful blend of flavors resembling those used in the best of Thai cooking. It is a wonderful alternative to teriyaki glazed salmon. I prefer salmon fillets to salmon steaks so I've altered the recipe to reflect my preference. If you decide to use tamarind concentrate, dilute it as you would orange juice, using three parts water or stock to one part of concentrate. I serve this with jasmine rice which I find has a unique and distinctive flavor that pairs well with the flavors in this dish. Those of you who try this will become instant fans. It's a wonderful way to prepare good salmon. I know you'll like it. Here's the recipe.

Thai-Style Steamed Salmon with Tamarind-Ginger Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by from Dean and DeLuca

Ingredients:
1 ounce dried tamarind pulp or 2 tablespoons of tamarind concentrate
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 shallots, slivered lengthwise
2 tablespoons julienne strips peeled fresh ginger
4 garlic cloves, slivered lengthwise
1/4 cup palm sugar or light brown sugar
3 tablespoons nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
4 salmon fillets (each about 1 1/4 inches thick)
Fresh cilantro for garnish

Directions:
1) If using tamarind pulp: Place pulp in a small bowl and cover with 1/2 cup boiling water. Let sit for 30 minutes. Break up tamarind with fingers. Add tamarind and soaking water to a small saucepan. Simmer for 30 minutes. Strain through a sieve into a bowl, pressing on tamarind solids wit a wooden spoon. Strain liquid through a sieve into a bowl, pressing on the tamarind solids with a wooden spoon. Reserve liquid.
2) If using tamarind concentrate: Dilute with 6 tablespoons water. Set aside.n
3) Heat oil in a medium skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Stir in shallots, ginger, and garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute, or until very aromatic. Stir in palm sugar, 3 tablespoons nam pla, and 1/2 cup of tamarind liquid, and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Reserve.
4) Lay salmon fillets on a lightly oiled plate that will fit into a steamer basket. Spread about 1 tablespoon of reserved ginger-tamarind sauce on each side of each filet, and let marinate for 20 minutes.
5) Bring enough water to sit just below (but not touch) steamer basket in a wok or deep skillet. Bring to a simmer. Place plate in basket, cover with a lid, and steam salmon just until opaque, about 10 minutes for medium-rare. Remove basket from the wok and plate from basket. With a spatula carefully remove salmon to serving plates. Pour enough liquid from steaming plate into reserved sauce to reach the desired consistency.
6) Quickly reheat sauce and spoon over salmon. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Almond Crusted Salmon Fillets with Lemon Leek Cream Sauce - Good Things Catered
Wasabi Glazed Salmon - One Perfect Bite
Slow Roasted Salmon - One Perfect Bite
Poached Salmon - Simply Recipes
Red Grape Salmon Fillets - A Food Year
Salmon Fillet on Leek and Fennel Sauce - The Passionate Cook

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Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.