Tandoori Salmon Tikka (Fish Tikka)

Alright, imagine this: juicy chunks of fish that are like little flavor sponges! Here's my tandoori salmon tikka featuring spicy and moist salmon (or any kind of fish you like) coated in tandoori flavors. We're talking greek yogurt, ginger & garlic, and my homemade tandoori spice mix (or use store-bought). Squeeze in some lemon juice and then we're going to pan-fry these babies to smoky perfection. It's like a flavor fiesta in every bite.

If you want to use air fryer or oven to cook these, I am including the instructions for that method.

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 of our taste buds. Honestly, there ain't a salmon recipe these gals won't love. We're in it for the salmon ride, any way it comes!

About Salmon Tikka

In Indian cuisine, tikka is a piece of chicken, paneer, fish or vegetable spicy marinade of yogurt & spices. Then, cooked on high heat in a tandoor (clay oven) to create a charred or smoky taste. 

Similar to other tikka dishes in northern part of india, such as malai chicken tikka or tandoori paneer tikka, tandoori fish tikka recipe involves marinating fish cubes in a tangy & spiced yogurt mixture. The bold flavors of tandoori marinade contrast the enticing taste of mild fish. Then cooking on high heat- on stove or of the grill to perfection.

I begin by cubing the salmon and then marinating it for 10-15 minutes in the creamy yogurt based marinade. Letting the salmon sit for a few minutes coated in the yogurt mixture allows the flavors to penetrate the fish and tenderize it.

What's Pineapple doing here?

Using pineapple is totally up to you. The first time I tried tandoori pineapple was at the legendary Great Kabab Factory in Delhi. It was love at first bite. Funny thing, they also served up fish tikka in the same spread.

Imagine the sweet tang of pineapple meeting the fiery dance of spices – it's a flavor combo that's out of this world. Fatty salmon chunks cozying up with that sweet and spicy pineapple – trust me, it's a mouthwatering symphony you don't want to miss.

Ingredients

• Salmon - I like using skin less salmon. You could purchase wild-caught salmon or farmed salmon, make sure its sustainably sourced. Instead of salmon, use any kind of boneless fish you like in this recipe (examples include white fish fillets like mahi mahi or tilapia or baramundi). You could also use the same marinade on small fish fish like pomfret or golden pompano. Tandoori pomfret is one of my favorites! 
• Plain Yogurt- Yogurt is used in tandoori recipes to add a creaminess and here, its tang complements the fish beautifully. 
• Tandoori Seasoning- You could use store bought tandoori seasoning. I am including recipe of my spice blend in the recipe card. If you dont want to use tandoori seasoning, use a mix of ground cumin, coriander powder along with rest of the spices.
• Spices - Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder(hot), Garam Masala
• Other Ingredients - Ginger & Garlic Paste, Lemon Juice, Mustard Oil (Or avocado or cooking, olive oil will work too)

Homemade Tandoori Seasoning

I love making my own tandoori spice blend because the aroma and flavors of homemade spice blends are truly un matched. This tandoori masala tastes barely 10 minutes to make. Use fresh and good quality spices and store the tandoori spice blend in an air tight container to preserve freshness. You can use this tandoori rub for chicken, shrimp, paneer and vegetables.

Mix together

• 3 teaspoon Kashmiri Chili Powder or Paprika
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon kasuri methi
• 1.5 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon true cinnamon powder (Ceylon cinnamon)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon ginger powder
• ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
• 2 black cardamom pods (seeds only)
• ½ teaspoon mace powder (or 7-8 strands of mace)
• ¼ teaspoon clove powder (or 6 cloves)
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg powder

Instructions

Marinate The Salmon

1. Place salmon fillets on a cutting board and using a sharp knife, cut into 1.5 inch cubes. Cut in equal pieces if possible. You could cut larger chunks if you wish.
2. Add yogurt, tandoori masala, ginger & garlic, lime juice, red chili powder and turmeric powder to a large bowl. Whisk to make a smooth tandoori paste. Add the pieces of salmon and using your hands or a spatula, gently mix to coat the salmon. Let stand for 15 minutes.
3. In another bowl, add the pineapple cubes and sprinkle salt, tandoori masala and lemon juice. Let stand.
4. Skewer the marinated fish and pineapple on to wooden or metal skewers. Brush the skewers with little oil to avoid fish tikka from sticking.  If using wooden skewers, soak them in water 30 minutes prior to using. 

Make The Salmon Tikka

Use ONE of the following methods to cook the tikka

1. Pan Fry The Tikka- Heat up a 10 inch or 12 inch cast iron or stainless steel frying pan on medium heat. Add oil. Place the skewers in a single layer. Let cook for 3-4 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown and you notice a little bit of char. Flip using tongs and cook for 3 minutes on the other side. Use a separate pan for cooking pineapple. Pan fry for 2-3 minutes per side.
2. Air Fry- Preheat air fryer to 360F for 2 minutes. Set timer for 8-10 minutes. Open the basket and layer the salmon. Air fry for 5 minutes. Opne the basker, flip and cook fro another 2-3 minutes on the other side. Repeat the same for pineapple chunks.
3. Oven - Preheat oven to 500F. Layer the salmon and pineapple chunks in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking tray. Bake for 10 minutes. Flip at around 6 minutes. For a charred taste, place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes.
4. Outdoor Grill- Fire the grill and skewer the salmon and pineapple on to metal skewers.

Don't forget to sprinkle some chaat masala before serving!

Serving Suggestions

1. Sliced onion and lemon wedges are classic accompaniments to any kind of tandoori tikka.
2. Its a bit unconventional, however we used to scoop up tender fish tikka with tandoori rotis growing up. I love serving indian flatbreads like paratha or rotis. Add green chutney to the side. You could make small wraps while eating.
3. Go the traditional route and served with steamed basmati rice, a fresh cucumber salad (kachumber).
4. For beverages, you could go for indian mango lemonade to add double tropical oomph to this meal.

Recipe Tips

• For extra kick, you could add some Indian green chilli paste to the marinade. 
• Cut the salmon and pineapple about the same size and do not cut salmon too small else it starts falling off while cooking.
• Use firm yet ripe pineapple. Don't select too ripe pineapple.
• Dont skimp on oil while cooking fish, else it will start sticking to the pan.
• You could thread red onion and red bell pepper to the salmon skewer to add color. 
• If you are using skin on salmon pieces, cook the salmon skin side down first.