Tandoori Chicken is a classic northern Indian dish. The word “tandoori” comes from the Hindi word “tandoor,” a tall, cylindrical clay oven originally used in northern India to cook meat dishes and bread. Here, we use a tandoori spice mixture as a marinade for salmon. Traditionalists might balk, but when I’m in a hurry, I use a store-bought tandoori spice mixture. In the convection oven, the salmon cooks quickly and is moist and mildly fragrant. A minty cucumber-yogurt sauce adds an authentic flavor.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　3 pounds salmon fillets

　　1 cup plain yogurt

　　2 garlic cloves, minced

　　1 tablespoon peeled and grated fresh ginger

　　2 1/2 tablespoons Tandoori Seasoning (recipe follows)

　　1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

　　Cucumber Yogurt Sauce (recipe follows)

　　

Tandoori Seasoning

1/4 cup whole black peppercorns

　　1/4 cup whole coriander seeds

　　2 tablespoons black cardamom seeds

　　1/2 tablespoon cumin seeds

　　2 tablespoons paprika

　　2 tablespoons chili powder

　　2 tablespoons whole fenugreek

　　2 tablespoons whole cloves

　　1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

　　(makes about 1 1/4 cups)

　　

Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

1 cup plain yogurt

　　2 European-style cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and diced

　　1 garlic clove, minced

　　1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

　　1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

　　1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

　　(makes 8 servings)

　　

Step 1

Rinse the salmon and pat dry with paper towels. Cut it into 8 equal pieces. Place in a single layer on a rimmed plate or tray, skin side down.

　　

Step 2

Mix the yogurt with the garlic, ginger, and Tandoori Seasoning. Spread it evenly over the salmon pieces. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.

　　

Step 3

Arrange the oven racks so that the top rack is just above the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to convection roast at 500°F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray and place the salmon on the pan. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes or just until the salmon is cooked.

　　

Step 4

Remove the salmon to a warmed serving tray, sprinkle with mint, and serve with the Cucumber Yogurt Sauce.

　　

Tandoori Seasoning

Step 5

Position the oven racks so that they are evenly spaced. Preheat the oven to convection bake at 350°F. Combine the peppercorns, coriander seeds, cardamom seeds, and cumin seeds and spread in a shallow baking pan.

　　

Step 6

Place the pan on the center rack of the oven and roast for 20 minutes, until aromatic. Cool. Combine with the remaining spices in a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle and grind until finely pulverized.

　　

Step 7

Store in an airtight container.

　　

Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

Step 8

Combine all the ingredients and put in a serving bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

　　From Cooking with Convection by Beatrice Ojankangas. Copyright (c) 2005 by Beatrice Ojankangas. Published by Broadway Books.Beatrice Ojakangas has written more than a dozen cookbooks, including Beatrice Ojakangas' Great Holiday Baking Book, Beatrice Ojakangas' Light and Easy Baking, Pot Pies, Quick Breads, Light Desserts, The Finnish Cookbook, and The Great Scandinavian Baking Book. Beatrice works as a consultant for Pillsbury and other major food companies, teaches cooking classes, and writes for various food magazines. She lives in Duluth, Minnesota.