This salmon recipe is a healthier version of a Thai dish involving deep fried fish in a tamarind sauce – pla tod sauce makaam ปลาทà¸à¸”ซà¸à¸ªà¸¡à¸°à¸‚าม. Instead of frying, the salmon is air fried for only 6 minutes, and then finished in the sweet-salty-sour tamarind sauce. It’s a simple and quick weeknight meal that brings no shortage of flavour! The salmon can be substituted with any other kinds of fish you like, and it is gluten free.
Important Ingredient Notes
Getting the right ingredients is very important in Thai cooking. Here are all the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe and important notes about them. Amounts are in the full recipe card below!
- Salmon filets, or sub another fish. This recipe works with trout, cod, or any other kind of white fish that is not too delicate (like sole) as it might be overpowered by the flavourful sauce. You can cut the fish into portion, or for a more impressive presentation, you can leave it as a big piece and cut it at the table.
- Shallots, roughly chopped
- Garlic
- Cilantro sprigs.
- Thai chilies or dried chili flakes. This is to add spiciness, so you can add as little or as much as you want, or none at all if making for kids. Traditionally we use fresh chilies, but I have found that dried chili flakes work in a pinch.
- Chicken stock, unsalted or low sodium. Using chicken stock will result in a subtly more flavourful sauce, but if you don’t have it, water is just fine.
- Palm sugar. This is one of the main flavours of the dish, so it’s best to not substitute. JHC Palm Sugar is the brand I use here in Canada, and it isn’t bad (much better than the widely available Cock Brand). If you really don’t have it, you can substitute light brown sugar.
- Fish sauce. Always use high quality fish sauce for Thai food. Read more about how to choose good fish sauce here.
- Thai tamarind paste. The heart of the dish! You can get store bought, ready-to-use tamarind paste, or better yet make it from tamarind pulp which is what I do as it yields the best flavour. And it’s easy! Here’s my recipe for homemade tamarind paste. If you don’t know what tamarind is, check out this tamarind deep dive article!
- Red and/or green peppers, optional. This is added just for pops colour, so use whatever red peppers you have, spicy or not it doesn’t matter! If you have spicy lovers in the house you can use jalapenos or serranos and slice them into thin rounds so people can eat them. If you don’t want spicy, bell peppers will do the job.
- Fried shallots, optional. A little crunch and sweetness that I highly recommend! Store bought fried shallots is fine, but I recommend giving them a quick refresh in the skillet or oven. I talk more about this in my crispy fried shallots recipe.
- Jasmine rice for serving, as usual!
Air Fried Salmon with Tamarind Sauce
Perfectly cooked salmon in the classic Thai tamarind sauce that's sweet, salty and sour, and it can be made spicy or mild. An easy weeknight meal that is loaded with flavour. It's also gluten free.
IngredientsÂ
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- 1lbsalmon filets,cut into 3 portions
- 2teaspoonneutral oil,for greasing the salmon
- A pinch of salt
- 6cilantro sprigs
- 2small shallots,roughly chopped
- 3clovesgarlic
- 1-2Thai chilies,to taste,or use dried red chili flakes
- 2tablespoonneutral oil
- ½cupchicken stock or water
- 3tablespoonpalm sugar,finely chopped
- 3tablespoontamarind paste,store bought or homemade
- 1½tablespoonfish sauce
- ¼cupred peppers,any kind,sliced or julienned,optionalfor colour
- 3tablespoonFried shallots,store bought or homemade,optional
- Jasmine rice,for serving
Check Out Ingredients and Kitchen Tools I Use
Notes
- If you don't have an air fryer, you can cook the salmon however you normally cook it! You can bake them at 400°F for about 8 minutes, or until done to your liking. Or you can also pan fry them.Â
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InstructionsÂ
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Oil the salmon filets, then lightly season with salt (go light on the salt cuz the sauce will be flavourful). Air-fry them at 375°F (190°C) for about 6 minutes, or until the salmon is about medium doneness. If you don't have an air fryer,you can bake or pan sear the salmon. Let the salmon rest while you make the sauce.
1 lb salmon filets,A pinch of salt,2 teaspoon neutral oil
Cut the cilantro sprigs in half,separating the leafy portion from the part with just the stems. Chop the stems and add to a mortar and pestle,saving the leafy part for garnish later. To the mortar,add the garlic,shallots and Thai chilies. Pound into a rough paste. Alternatively,process everything into a rough paste in a small food processor.
2 small shallots,3 cloves garlic,6 cilantro sprigs,1-2 Thai chilies
In a wok or a medium skillet,heat 2 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium heat,add the herb paste and saute until aromatic and slightly browned.
2 tablespoon neutral oil
Add the chicken stock,palm sugar,tamarind paste,and fish sauce. Turn the heat up to medium high and cook,stirring constantly,until the sugar is dissolved. Let sauce reduce until it is thick enough to coat the shrimp,about 2 minutes.
½ cup chicken stock or water,3 tablespoon palm sugar,3 tablespoon tamarind paste,1½ tablespoon fish sauce
Add the salmon into the sauce along with any collected juices,and keep spooning the sauce over the salmon for about one minute.
Sprinkle in the red chilies if using,then turn off the heat.
¼ cup red peppers
Plate the salmon and top generously with fried shallots (if using),and garnish with roughly chopped cilantro leaves. Serve with jasmine rice. Enjoy!
3 tablespoon Fried shallots,Jasmine rice
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