A few days ago, I was flipping through Instagram when a photo from Food & Wine stopped me in my tracks. Eric Adjepong’s Coconut Curry Salmon looked delicious, and when I clicked on the link and read the recipe I envisioned cooking it. Soon! I could almost taste the flavor combination – sweet, savory, heat from the curry, with a touch of acid to tie it all together.

I went to the grocery store to get the ingredients I needed, and that night, Coconut Curry Salmon was on the dinner table. The plate of food looked like a party it was so colorful, and with a glass of wine to sip as we ate, it seemed like a celebration.

The combination of flavors is a perfect marriage. The best part is that both the pepper sauce and the curry sauce can be made up to a day ahead, making dinner a snap to put on the table.

A Few Notes

Do not leave out the pepper-vinegar sauce because you are afraid of the habanero peppers! It is an essential part of this dish! When the peppers are seeded and the white ribs removed, the sauce adds a pop of flavor with only the tiniest amount of heat. And once drizzled on top of the curry, each bite is an explosion of flavor. I served the pepper sauce in a small pitcher tableside, and it was so good, I couldn’t stop drizzling.

One of the great things about this recipe is that you can control the curry’s heat level, adjusting the heat by the type of curry you choose. The brands labeled simply as ‘CURRY’ in your local grocery store are perfect for a mild curry. If you’re looking for more flavor and heat, Madras curry, available in both mild and hot versions, is available from Amazon.  

You can use plain rice as the base of this dish if you prefer, but I like the richness and balance that coconut rice adds to the overall flavor profile. Important notes to remember are to use jasmine rice, rinse it well, and use full-fat coconut milk, NOT lite. If you want sweeter rice to tame the spice of the curry, you may add a teaspoon or two of sugar or honey to the rice mixture before cooking.

As I originally said, this recipe is inspired by Chef Eric Adjepong, but of course I typed the recipe in my favorite format and made notes, tweaking a few things as I cooked. If you would like to see/cook using the original recipe, click on the following link from Eric Adjepong in Food & Wine online: https://www.foodandwine.com/coconut-curry-salmon-7508750

Coconut Curry Salmon

The red habanero was used for garnish only. Orange habaneros were used in the curry.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• Pepper-vinegar Sauce
  • 3 orange habanero peppers, seeded, stemmed, white ribs removed, and coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup white balsamic
  • Pinch of kosher salt or to taste
  • Pinch of granulated sugar

• Curry Sauce
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 3 tablespoons Madras curry powder
  • 5 green onions, thinly sliced, reserving 1 tablespoon for garnish
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 (13 1/2-ounce) can coconut milk, NOT lite, well-shaken
  • 10 ounces vegetable or chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more as needed
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

• Salmon
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 4 (6-ounce) fillets salmon, skin and small pin bones removed
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

• Accompaniment
  • 6 cups coconut rice, for serving (recipe below, or use your favorite coconut rice recipe)

Directions

• For pepper drizzle:
  • Combine all ingredients in a blender. Puree until smooth. Set aside.
  • NOTE: May be made a day ahead of time. Refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.

• For curry sauce:
  • Heat oil in a wide sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper, stirring frequently and cooking until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic, thyme, curry power, and green onion, reserving 1 tablespoon of the onion for garnish, cooking until fragrant, approximately 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste to coat the vegetables and cook an additional minute or two. Add coconut milk and stock to pot. Season with salt and lemon juice, whisking to combine. Bring sauce to a boil then lower and simmer sauce until slightly thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.
  • NOTE: May be made ahead. Refrigerate, and bring to room temperature before gently reheating.

• For salmon:
  • Meanwhile, heat oil and butter in a wide, medium frying pan over medium high heat. Season salmon with salt and pepper and add to pan, presentation side down. Cook 3 minutes, then flip salmon over. Take the frying pan of the heat, allowing the salmon to continuing cooking on the residual heat of the pan for a minute or two. Add salmon to sauce and simmer 3a minute or two more. Spoon salmon and sauce over rice, garnish with remaining green onion, and serve with pepper-vinegar sauce.

Coconut Rice

Serves 4

• 1 cup uncooked long grain jasmine rice, rinsed until the water runs clear
• 1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk, NOT lite
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 1 – 3 teaspoons sugar (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed.

Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Wine Pairings

I was surprised to discover that Food and Wine did not give a wine pairing recommendation, or if they did, I totally missed it. However, Goggle AI filled me in on what I needed to know. Coconut Curry Salmon pairs well with wines that can balance the dish’s spice and sweetness, such as:

• Zinfandel
  • A red wine with ripe berry flavors and spice undertones that contrasts well with the creamy curry
• Chardonnay
  • A medium-bodied wine with tropical fruit notes and bright acidity that complements the richness of the coconut curry
• German Riesling
  • A food-friendly white wine that won’t clash with the dish’s texture, flavor, creaminess, acidity, and heat
• Other wines that pair well with Thai food include:
  • Pinot Gris: A viable alternative to Riesling with less-intense tropical fruit flavors and more subtle acidity
  • Chenin Blanc: A sweet wine with medium-high acidity that pairs well with Thai cuisine
  • Grenache Blanc: A wine with flavors of Asian pear, unripe mango, lime zest, and lemongrass
  • Sparkling Rosé: A wine with fizz, fruits, and sweetness that plays well with Thai dishes
  • Zweigelt: A light Austrian red wine that is sweet, sour, and spicy