Amritsari Salmon Pakode

A traditional Kerala-style coconut curry with tender salmon, infused with raw mango, spices, and finished with a fragrant coconut oil tempering.

Ingredients

  1. Smoked salmon – 100 g (1 packet)
  2. Besan (gram flour) – 100 g
  3. Rice flour – 30 g
  4. Tempura flour – 100 g
  5. Soda water (Kinley) – 500 ml
  6. Ice cubes – 10 small pcs
  7. Kashmiri red chilli powder – 8 g
  8. Whole coriander seeds – 12 g
  9. Whole cumin seeds – 6 g
  10. Whole fennel seeds (saunf) – 5 g
  11. Black salt – 1 g
  12. Turmeric powder – 3 g
  13. Chaat masala – 5 g (for dusting)
  14. Dry anardana powder – 2 g
  15. Ajwain – 10 g
  16. Sunflower oil – 1 litre (for frying)
  17. Lemon – 1 whole
  18. Black pepper – 1 g
  19. Baby spinach leaves – 20 leaves
  20. Coriander leaves – 1 bunch
  21. Green chillies – 2 pcs (adjust to taste)
  22. Mint leaves – ½ bunch
  23. Bikaneri bhujia sev – 20 g
  24. China garlic – 20 g
  25. Ginger – 10 g

Preparation

  1. Sift besan, rice flour, and tempura flour together.
  2. Lightly toast whole spices:
    1. Coriander seeds
    2. Cumin seeds
    3. Fennel seeds
    4. Black pepper
  3. Allow to cool, then crush finely using a mortar and pestle.
  4. Mix crushed spices with:
    1. Black salt
    2. Ajwain
    3. Red chilli powder
    4. Dry anardana powder
    5. Chaat masala
    6. Turmeric powder
  5. In a bowl, combine flours with the spice mix and whisk well.
  6. Add ice cubes and chilled soda water; mix into a smooth batter.
  7. Refrigerate the batter until use.
  8. Clean coriander, mint, and green chillies.
  9. Blend into a smooth chutney and set aside.
  10. Clean and prepare spinach leaves; keep aside.

Cooking & Assembly

  1. Heat sunflower oil in a kadhai to 180°C.
  2. Let smoked salmon rest at room temperature for a few minutes.
  3. Dip salmon pieces into the batter and deep fry until crisp and cooked.
  4. Dip spinach leaves in batter and fry until crispy.
  5. Remove and drain on paper towels.
  6. Transfer green chutney into a serving bowl.
  7. Dust chaat masala over the chutney for finishing.

Plating & Serving

  1. Arrange salmon pakode and crispy spinach on a serving plate.
  2. Serve hot with green chutney on the side.

Plating Idea

Use a contrast-colored plate for visual appeal. Garnish with thin lemon roundels and sprinkle bhujia sev lightly for added texture and finish.

And your dish is ready