Tandoori salmon tikka is a quick and easy appetizer which can double up as a full meal when served over rice. Tender pieces of salmon are coated in a deeply flavorful marinade of yogurt, ginger & garlic, lime juice, and spices such as chilli powder and garam masala. As the fish air fries, it stays moist in the center and develops a smoky crisp char on the outside. This fish tikka is a flavor fiesta in every bite!
If you want to use a pan or oven to cook these, I am including the instructions for those methods too.
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Me and the girls are like the salmon dream team. I cook salmon every week, actually few times in a week. Indian salmon curry ladled over steamed rice or yellow curry salmon bowl are their absolute favorite! But hold up, that's not the end of the salmon story. Baked salmon? Heck yeah. And these salmon tikka? They're like the rockstars on our dinner table. Honestly, there ain't a salmon recipe these gals won't love.
To make salmon tikka, there's no long marination needed. Neither do you need a long list of ingredients. We are using pantry spices and aromatics. Letting the marinated salmon stand for a few minutes(10-15 minutes) allows the flavors to mingle and tenderize the fish.
I pan fried salmon tikka for years, and honestly, it always turned out great. The only downside was that it needed a close eye and a bit of guesswork to get the timing just right.
These days, I swear by the air fryer. It takes all the guesswork out of cooking, and the crusty, lightly charred edges with the perfectly juicy, flaky fish inside are hard to beat. Admittedly, my favorite part is how consistently tender and perfectly cooked the salmon turns out every single time.
Ingredients
- Salmon - I prefer using wild-caught salmon but honestly farmed salmon works great too. Farmed fish stays juicier but in my opinion, lacks flavor but you do you.You do not have to stick to salmon only though.This flavorful tandoori marinade works with any kind of firm fish. You could also use the same marinade on whole small fish like pomfret or golden pompano.
- Mustard Oil - Any tandoori marinade is incomplete without it. It's one of the reasons tandoori dishes taste so distinctive. Mustard oil adds a subtle pungency to the marinade and as the salmon cooks, the mustard oil helps the marinade cling to the fish, and encourages beautiful charring. Now, if I were making tandoori chicken or lamb tandoori, I would have asked you to sub ghee for mustard oil. But in case of salmon substitute with neutral oil in the marinade.
- Plain Yogurt- I use hung yogurt for my Indian tikka marinades. Making hung curd at home is fully hands off and needs a bit of starting ahead but results in thick, non watery marinades that stay on the fatty fish such as salmon without sliding off. Greek yogurt does the job but honestly, I just prefer as thick curd if possible.
- Lime Juice - In India, we use limes. I am generally not too strict about limes and lemons but in fish or seafood recipes, trust me you need the lime for sharp brightness.
Instructions
Marinate The Salmon
- Place salmon fillets on a cutting board and using a sharp knife, cut into 2 inch cubes. Try to cut in equal pieces if possible. You could cut larger chunks if you wish.
2. Add lightly warm mustard oil to a large bowl. Add all powdered spices and mix well(helps wake up the spices!) To this, add rest of the marinade ingredients Whisk everything to make a smooth tandoori marinade.
3. Add the salmon to the marinade and using your hands or a spatula, gently mix to coat very well. Let stand for 10-15 minutes.
4. Place the marinated salmon in a single layer, skin side down(if using skin on) and generously spray or brush with oil.
5. Air fry at 390F for 8-10 minutes, fliping half way. Your salmon tikka is ready.
Please see the recipe card for instrictions on cooking the salmon tikka in oven or in a pan on stove.
Tandoori Salmon Tikka (Fish Tikka)
Ingredients
- 1.3 lb(~500g) salmon fillets cut into 1.5 inch cubes, both skin on and skinless work (I ue skin on wild caught salmon)
- Oil or oil spray for cooking the tikka I use avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon chaat masala to sprinkle on top while serving
For Tandoori Marinade
- 1.5 tablespoon mustard oil or use neutral oil, warmed
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon kashmiri chilli powder gives a deep color
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder (quite hot), adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 3 tablespoon hung yogurt whole milk & plain (greek yogurt works too)
- 1.5 teaspoon garlic paste
- ½ teaspoon ginger paste
- 1.5 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi dry fenugreek leaves, crushed between palms
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Instructions
- Place the salmon fillets on a cutting board and, using a sharp knife, cut them into roughly 2 inch cubes. Try to keep the pieces a similar size so they cook evenly. If you prefer chunkier salmon tikka, feel free to cut slightly larger pieces. Just remember they may need an extra minute or two in the air fryer.
- Lightly warm the mustard oil and add it to a large bowl. Add all powdered spices and using a whisk, mix well(helps wake up the spices!)
- To it, add yogurt, lemon juice, kasuri methi and ginger garlic pastes. Whisk everything very well to make a smooth tandoori marinade.
- In a large mixing bowl, add all of the tandoori marinade ingredients and whisk until you have a smooth, creamy tandoori marinade with no lumps. The marinade should be thick enough to cling to the salmon without sliding off.
- Add the salmon pieces to the bowl and gently toss them with a spatula or your hands until every piece is evenly coated. Be gentle, as salmon is delicate and can break apart if handled too much. Let the salmon marinate for 10 to 15 minutes. Since salmon is naturally tender, it doesn't need a long marinating time to absorb all those wonderful flavors.
- Arrange the marinated salmon in a single layer in your air fryer basket, leaving a little space between each piece so the hot air can circulate properly. If you're using skin on salmon, place the pieces skin side down. Lightly spray or brush the tops with oil to help the edges develop that beautiful lightly charred finish.
- Air fry at 390°F for 8 to 10 minutes, carefully flipping the salmon halfway through cooking. The exact cooking time will depend on the thickness of your salmon pieces and your air fryer model. The salmon is ready when it flakes easily with a fork, stays juicy in the center, and develops lightly charred edges.
- Sprinkle some chaat masala & chopped cilantro on salmon tikka before serving!
Other Ways of Cooking
- Cooking in a pan- Heat up a 10 inch or 12 inch cast iron or stainless steel frying pan on medium heat. Add 1-2 tablespoon oil.
- Place the salmon pieces in a single layer. Let cook for 3-4 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown and you notice a little char on edges. Flip using tongs and cook for 2-3 minutes on the other side.
- Oven - Preheat oven to 500F. Layer the salmon in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking tray. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Flip at around 6 minutes. For a charred taste, place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes.
Video
Notes
- Serving - Serve tandoori Salmon tikka with rice dishes, kachumber and side of green chutney. You could add cooling cucumber raita on the side.
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