Pan Fried Salmon with Coconut Noodle Broth

There’s something really special about a nice piece of well cooked fish over a rich, warming broth. It’s one of my favourite types of meal, and this pan fried salmon with noodle broth is one I make time and time again.

This is something I always crave when I’m not quite feeling right. The salmon is obviously wonderfully healthy, packed full of protein and healthy oils. The broth contains garlic, ginger, coriander and lemongrass – they also contain lovely, healthy things (I swear by ginger when I’m not well; I’ll chop fresh ginger and have it in a cup of boiling water – it will cure anything). Mix this with noodles and coconut milk and you have a hug in a bowl.

When I say I make it time and time again, I mean it. It’s an absolute regular on my meal rotation and I would say I’ve made it upwards of 100 times. It’s well tested! Part of the reason for that is because it’s ready in just 15 minutes. Winner.

Ingredients, Substitutions and Variations

• Salmon fillets – use the freshest you can get. Try to get two that are a similar thickness – this way, they’ll cook in the same amount of time.
• Olive oil – you could also use vegetable oil or groundnut oil.
• Ginger, garlic, lemon grass, tamarind paste – for the base of the broth. Try to get all of these ingredients for the perfect balance. Be aware with your tamarind paste – you only need a little as it has a very strong taste.
• Fresh coriander – leave out if you hate coriander.
• Coconut milk – use full fat if you can, it’s much tastier.
• Soy sauce – you can use dark or light in this recipe.
• Fish sauce – available in any supermarket.
• Palm sugar – switch for caster sugar if you can’t get any.
• Noodles – use any kind of straight to wok noodles (I used rice noodles). You could also precook dried noodles and use those.
• Sugarsnap peas – or use frozen peas.
• Spring onions and peanuts – optional, but recommended!

Tips for success:

1. Cooking the pan fried salmon
   Make sure you start by cooking it skin side down until the skin is beautifully crisp. This will give it the best texture. You only need to flip it for the last minute or so.
2. Make in advance
   You can make the coconut milk broth in advance. Cook up until the end of step 2, bring to a simmer then remove from the heat. Use within 24 hours.
3. Try other types of fish
   Sea bass, prawns and cod all work really well in this dish!

Pan Fried Salmon with Coconut Noodle Broth

Harriet Young

January 13, 2025

Crispy pan fried salmon fillets on top of a fragrant noodle broth

5

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Prep Time 2 minutes mins

Cook Time 13 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Thai

Servings 2 people

Calories 1375 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 2 salmon fillets
• 2 tbsps olive oil
• 40 g fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 stick lemongrass
• 1 tsp tamarind paste
• 20 g fresh coriander
• 400 ml coconut milk
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp palm sugar
• 300 g straight to wok style or pre-cooked noodles any type will do
• 200 g sugarsnap peas
• Spring onions and peanuts to serve

Instructions

 

• Start by finely chopping the ginger and garlic, and adding it to a large pan over a medium heat with half of the olive oil.
• When it starts to sizzle, bruise the lemongrass with a knife and add this to the pan, along with the sliced coriander stalks and tamarind paste. Cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes, then add the coconut milk and the same amount again of water. Add the soy sauce, fish sauce and palm sugar.
• Bring the broth to a simmer then add the sugarsnap peas and noodles. Simmer for 5-7 minutes, while you cook the salmon.
• To cook the salmon, heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and add the salmon, skin side down. Cook for 5 minutes, until the skin is crisp, then flip over and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
• Stir the chopped coriander leaves into the broth. To serve, ladle the broth into bowls and top with the salmon. Sprinkle over some chopped spring onion and peanuts. Enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 1375kcalCarbohydrates: 142gProtein: 67gFat: 67gSaturated Fat: 40gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 2515mgPotassium: 2108mgFiber: 7gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 1510IUVitamin C: 47mgCalcium: 158mgIron: 14mg

Keyword pan fried salmon

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