Lasooni Salmon Tikka Recipe

Roast garlic

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice off the top 1/4" of each garlic head to expose the cloves. Place the heads on a small piece of foil, drizzle with 2 tbs olive oil and sprinkle 1/4 tsp salt. Wrap the foil to form a pouch. Roast for 35–45 minutes until cloves are soft and golden. Cool slightly, then squeeze the cloves into a small bowl and mash to a smooth paste. Measure out required amounts (3 tbs total used in recipe). Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze.

Prepare salmon

Pat the salmon cubes dry with paper towels. Remove any pin bones with tweezers. Place the cubes in a shallow bowl.

Make marinade

In a medium bowl combine 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 2 tbs roasted garlic paste, 1 tbs lemon juice, 1 tsp ginger paste, 1/2 tsp green chili paste (if using), 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1 tbs mustard oil, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Whisk until smooth and homogenous.

Marinate salmon

Add the salmon cubes to the marinade and gently fold to coat each piece evenly. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour — do not marinate longer than 2 hours for salmon to avoid texture change.

Skewer

If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water 30 minutes beforehand. Thread 3–4 salmon cubes onto each skewer leaving small gaps for heat circulation. Lightly brush or rub with 1 tbs neutral oil to prevent sticking.

Cook

Option A — Grill: Preheat grill to medium-high (about 400°F/200°C). Oil the grates lightly. Grill the skewers 3–4 minutes per side until lightly charred and just cooked through (internal temp ~125–130°F/52–54°C for medium). Option B — Broiler: Place skewers on a foil-lined tray 6" under broiler and broil 3–4 minutes per side. Option C — Cast-iron skillet/oven: Heat skillet over medium-high, sear 1–2 minutes per side then finish in a 400°F oven 3–4 minutes. Avoid overcooking; salmon should be moist.

Finish

Transfer cooked skewers to a plate, rest 2 minutes. Sprinkle chopped cilantro over the salmon and squeeze lemon wedges to serve.

Toast cumin

Heat 1 tsp oil in a small skillet over medium. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds and toast 30–60 seconds until fragrant and slightly darker (do not burn). Crush lightly with the back of a spoon or mortar and pestle.

Combine raita

In a bowl whisk 1 cup yogurt until smooth. Stir in 1 tsp roasted garlic paste, the toasted and crushed cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp chaat masala, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp red chili flakes (optional), 2 tbs chopped cilantro, 1 tbs chopped mint and 1 tsp lemon juice. Taste and adjust salt or lemon. Chill until ready to serve.

Spoon a generous dollop of masala jeera raita onto serving plates. Place 1–2 salmon tikka skewers per plate over the raita. Garnish with additional cilantro and lemon wedges. Serve immediately while salmon is warm.