Here's one of our family favorites from Victor Sodsook's True Thai. This is really quick and easy to cook. Delicious.
Serves Four:
2 pounds salmon fillets
12 garlic cloves, minced
1 red onion (medium), coarsely chopped
2 serrano peppers (fresh), finely minced
1/2 cup pink pickled ginger, see note
2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 cup lemon juice (fresh squeezed)
Cut the salmon into serving size portions (or smaller).
Put salmon in a ceramic serving bowl along with the other ingredients. Put ceramic bowl (uncovered) in a covered steamer. Steam for 20 to 30 minutes over constant boil until fish is cooked through.
Notes:
Pink pickled ginger is a Thai product consisting of thin slices of young galangal in a vinegar solution. It is sold in glass jars and may be labeled as Pickled Ginger or Young Ginger in Vinegar. If it's not already dyed pink, add a few drops of red food coloring to the jar and shake. I have made this dish with Japanese pink sushi ginger and it may be even better -- the sushi ginger is very similar, but edible whereas the Thai product usually stays on the plate. The Japanese pink sushi ginger is available in many supermarkets now. The Thai pink pickled ginger (galangal) is an Asian market item.
The lemongrass is not an essential ingredient. The recipe is just as good substituting some thin slices of lemon peel. There is no shortage of lemon flavor with a cup of fresh lemon juice. If you can find lemongrass stalks, great. If not, no sweat.
Bottled fresh minced garlic works fine for this recipe and makes preparation quick and easy. Of course, nothing beats fresh chopped garlic if you are quick with a knife.
I use a white ceramic casserole bowl placed in a covered enamel cast iron dutch oven with a steamer insert. You could also place it in a wok with a steamer insert or whatever way you can come up with to steam an uncovered dish.
Serving Ideas: Serve with Jasmine Rice
