Tandoori style baked Salmon

The way to anybody's heart is through their stomach, whether you want to admit it or not! Here's a great Valentine's Day meal idea, especially if you are trying impress your sweetheart. You can make it for your lovely family and friends. And hey, you can most certainly make it for yourself too! 

Ingredients: 

1. Salmon- boneless skinless (I prefer wild)- available in ready-to-go trays in most grocery stores (especially Costco!) cut into bite sized pieces. Qty: You can use as much as you want, and freeze the rest to use another day.  

2. Spices (1 tsp each if you like it potent, a pinch each if you like it mild)  

a) Garam Masala powder

b) Black pepper powder

c) Garlic powder or fresh smashed up garlic- 3-4 cloves

d) Red Chili powder (optional)

e) Turmeric powder

f) Cumin powder

3. Lemon juice- 1 freshly squeezed or a couple slashes of readymade lemon juice

4. Salt per taste

5. Olive Oil or any cooking oil- a couple drizzles

6. Asparagus- 1 bunch

Preparation:

Take a ziplock bag, and put all the spices into it, including the lemon juice. Then throw in the salmon pieces into it. Also drizzle in the oil. Zip up the bag, and mix it all up, so as to coat all the salmon pieces with the spices. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Soaking in the spices

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 385 deg F. 

1. Take a baking sheet, and spray some Pam all over (aluminum foil works well). 

2. Place all the salmon on the sheet. 

On baking sheet

3. Place in oven for 10-11 minutes. If you like some pink, then 8 minutes would work just fine. After 10 minutes of baking, I like to broil on high for a minute or two, to get a nice color going. 

Baking in the oven

4. While the salmon is in the oven, quickly cook some asparagus by steaming or quickly sautéing with some crushed garlic, salt and pepper. That's it! 

Tandoori style Baked Salmon ready!

Serve simply like this: 

Quick, simple, and Delicious

Or make tacos with some habanero salsa on top: 

Tandoori Salmon Tacos

Or serve on rice, top with habanero salsa. Mm mm! 

Tandoori Salmon served over rice, topped with habanero salsa

Pair it with your favorite wine. And don't forget to end your meal with those chocolate covered strawberries!