Salmon Curry

April 5, 2012 | In Recipe

You may well have read our previous post regarding the possible benefits of turmeric in terms of its cancer fighting properties. We like turmeric so much that we will tell you some more about it, and give you a nice recipe too!

Turmeric is a spice commonly used in many Eastern cultures and is a favourite ingredient in curries, where its vibrant yellow tone gives Indian dishes their trademark beautiful colour. In fact turmeric was traditionally called ‘Indian saffron’ because of its deep yellow-orange shade. Vibrant colour usually suggests a strong flavour and significant heat from a spice; however in actual fact turmeric has a delicate earthy flavour and is not spicy at all.

Turmeric is the root of the Curcuma longa plant, which is often dried and ground for use as a culinary herb. However it has long been used for its medicinal properties and as a powerful anti-inflammatory in both the Chinese and Indian systems of medicine. As with many herbs and spices it is the volatile oils found within the plants, which bestow many of their medicinal properties, and indeed the volatile oil fraction of turmeric has been shown to harbour significant anti-inflammatory activity. However, even more potent than its volatile oil is the pigment in turmeric that gives it is colour. This is called curcumin and is thought to be the primary pharmacological agent in turmeric. In numerous studies, curcumin’s anti-inflammatory effects have even been shown to be comparable to the potent drugs hydrocortisone and ibuprofen. Unlike the drugs, which are associated with significant toxic effects (ulcer formation, decreased white blood cell count, intestinal bleeding), curcumin produces no toxicity.

Not only is turmeric a fantastic anti-inflammatory, making it an essential dietary ingredient for those with arthritis and other inflammatory conditions, it also helps lower cholesterol, is cardio-protective, helps stimulate liver function and has been shown to slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases in mice (the high intake of turmeric in India is thought to be the reason for their low levels of neurodegenerative diseases).

In terms of nutrition, turmeric is an excellent source of both iron and manganese. It is also a good source of vitamin B6, dietary fibre and potassium.

Salmon Curry

A great way to make a curry with any oily fish

Serves 4-6

900g salmon steaks

1 lemon, juiced

1 tsp ground turmeric

Pinch of salt

2 tbsp vegetable / coconut oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

6 garlic cloves, crushed

2.5cm fresh ginger root, peeled and finely chopped

1 tsp poppy seeds

¼ tsp crushed black peppercorns

1 tbsp ground coriander

2 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp chilli powder (or to taste!)

1 large tomato, skinned and chopped

2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped

Put the salmon on a plate and sprinkle with the lemon juice, turmeric and salt. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes. Heat the oil and fry the onion, garlic and ginger until lightly browned. Add the poppy seeds & peppercorns and fry for another minute. Add the ground coriander, cumin and chilli powder and stir for a few minutes. Add the tomato and stir, followed by the salmon, gently stirring the fish into the paste. Cover tightly and simmer until the fish is done – about 10-15 minutes. Garnish with the fresh coriander.

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