Magic Spice.

We have arrived in India this week. It has been awhile since we enjoyed a Sunday night meal at home. At a decent hour. Very productive catch-up day. I really love it when the only agenda is getting organized for the week.  Laundry. Grocery shopping. Picking up clutter. Cooking. Sounds dreadful now that I write it... but sometimes the normal routine tasks are comforting. Kind of like mowing the lawn. Satisfaction with finishing something and showing results.

Well, India was my choice this week. I must confess, I spent yesterday trying to connect with Belgium. But knowing the 95+ degree weather before us this week, it wasn't working for me. Hence the final switch to India. Now, we may not be serving up all the authentic foods that India exemplifies, we will be adding the influence of flavor in our meals this week. As I've said before, if Andy and I were traveling solo this year, our meals would be much different. Just trying to balance the kids palates in our meal plans.

Comfort food was the focus so Salmon was the main ingredient. We are so religious with our Salmon preparation and have only ever strayed from our lemon garlic dill to a campfire BBQ. Tonight, we introduced a new flavor. Indian spices. Garam Masala. I will admit, a few months back, there was a recipe that called for the same spice. I thought it was a liquid, like soy sauce. Marsala maybe:)

Apparently, it's really the "magic" spice, the heart of most Indian dishes. A combination of pepper, cloves, cinnamon, cumin, coriander and cardamom makes it spicy treat. We served the salmon with a store bought chick pea salad that was oh so refreshing, with a hint of mint.

I will confess, this is the first time we have ever prepared Indian food at home and I can't really recall ever dining out in an Indian restaurant either. So far so good. A delightful evening with a light and flavorful meal. Happy is.

Grilled Salmon with Indian Spices and Raita

1/4 cup coarsely chopped peeled fresh ginger 

1/8 cup vegetable oil plus more 

1/2 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon garam masala 

1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon ground coriander

3/4 teaspoons ground cumin 

1-pound center-cut piece of boneless salmon fillet, skin on

Raita (yogurt sauce)

110kKosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt 

3/4 cup finely chopped peeled, seeded cucumber 

1 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish 

1 scallions, finely chopped 

1/2 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Directions

Prepare grill (medium-high heat). Purée ginger, 1/4 cup oil, 1 tablespoon garam masala, garlic, coriander, and cumin in a blender until coarse purée forms. Put salmon into a baking dish and season with salt and pepper. Coat salmon with ginger pureée. Let marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir yogurt, cucumber, cilantro, scallions, lime juice, and remaining 1 teaspoon garam masala in a medium bowl. Season raita to taste with salt and pepper.

Brush the grill rack with oil. Brush off marinade for easier grilling, or leave it on for a better crust. Grill salmon, turning once, until it just begins to flake in center, 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer salmon to a platter. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with raita.