Spicy Salmon with Smashed Cucumber Salad
This spicy salmon with smashed cucumber is one of those easy dinners that looks far more impressive than the effort involved. The salmon is coated in a sticky gochujang, honey and soy glaze before being air fried until caramelised and tender, then served with a crunchy smashed cucumber salad, pickled red onion and creamy gochujang yoghurt.
Equipment
- Air Fryer, I used my Ninja Crispi
- mixing bowls
Ingredients
- 2 salmon fillets
- ½-1 tablespoon gochujang depending on spice preference
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
For the smashed cucumber salad
- 1 cucumber
- Thin sliced red onions picked (pickling suggestion in method)
- 1 teaspoon Sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon light Soy sauce
- Pinch sugar
- 1 spring onion
- Pinch coriander
- squeeze lime juice
Gochujang yoghurt and garnish
- 2 tablespoon greek yoghurt + 1 teaspoon gochujang
- Sesame seeds
- Spring onion
- Coriander
If pickling your own onion
- ½ red onion
- 3 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoon water
- Pinch salt
- Pinch sugar
Instructions
- If you are making your own pickled onions, very thinly slice the red onion using a sharp knife or mandolin. Add the rice wine vinegar, water, a pinch of sugar and a pinch of salt to a microwave-safe ramekin or small bowl. Heat briefly in the microwave until warm, then add the sliced red onion. Leave the onions to pickle while you prepare the rest of the spicy salmon with smashed cucumber. The longer they sit, the more vibrant and tangy they will become.3 tbsp rice wine vinegar, 3 tbsp water, Pinch salt, Pinch sugar, ½ red onion
- Mix the gochujang, honey and light soy sauce together in a small bowl until smooth. Spread the glaze generously over the salmon fillets, making sure they are well coated. I like to get plenty of the glaze over the top½-1 tbsp gochujang, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 2 salmon fillets
- Place the glazed salmon fillets into the air fryer and cook for around 10 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily. Cooking time can vary depending on the thickness of your fillets and your air fryer, so check the centre before serving. While the salmon cooks, prepare the smashed cucumber salad.
- Cut the ends off the cucumber and place it on a chopping board. Using the flat side of a rolling pin, the side of a large knife or another sturdy kitchen tool, firmly smack the cucumber several times until it cracks and splits. Chop the smashed cucumber into bite-sized pieces and transfer to a bowl.1 cucumber
- Add the , sesame oil, soy sauce, lime juice, sugar, spring onion and coriander. Add some of your pickled red onion and toss everything together until the cucumber is well coated. Right before serving I drain away most of the excess liquid from the bottom of the cucumber bowl so the finished spicy salmon with smashed cucumber isn't too watery.Thin sliced red onions, 1 tsp dark soy sauce, 1 tsp Sesame oil, 1 tbsp light Soy sauce, Pinch sugar, 1 spring onion, Pinch coriander
- Mix the Greek yoghurt and gochujang together until completely combined. You can add a little extra gochujang if you want the sauce to have more heat. Divide the smashed cucumber salad between two plates or bowls. Add a glazed salmon fillet to each, followed by a generous dollop of gochujang yoghurt.2 tbsp greek yoghurt + 1 teaspoon gochujang
- Finish the spicy salmon with smashed cucumber with sesame seeds, sliced spring onion, fresh coriander and some extra pickled red onion. Serve immediately while the salmon is warm and the cucumber is still crunchy.Sesame seeds, Spring onion, Coriander
Notes
Don't skip the smashing. Smashing the cucumber creates lots of rough, craggy edges that absorb the dressing much better than evenly sliced cucumber.
Nutrition
Calories: 449kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 40gFat: 19g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!