Lemongrass Salmon Curry

A regular ingredient with a new twist

If you've followed for a while, you'll know salmon appears on our dinner table almost every week. It's one of those go-to ingredients in our house - nutritious, easy to cook and loved by everyone. Because of that, I'm always thinking of new ways to prepare it so it doesn't get boring. This time, I decided to adapt my Vietnamese Chicken Curry recipe and turn it into a fish version. The result? This beautiful Lemongrass Salmon Curry - full of flavour, warming and comforting, and a dish the whole family enjoyed.

A quick and easy midweek meal

I made this dish on one of those typical weekdays when work ran later than planned. With just over half an hour to feed hungry mouths, I needed something that came together quickly without cutting corners of taste. That's exactly what this curry did. It was quick, simple and completely satisfying. Proof that dinner doesn't need to take ages to be full of flavour.

Preparing the salmon

Seasoning and air-frying the fish

I started by getting the rice on straight away. My rice cooker takes about 40 minutes, so I always try to do that first. Then I turned to the salmon - I had a lovely side in the fridge. I removed the skin and cut the fillet into thick strips, then seasoned both sides with sea salt, cracked black pepper, onion granules, garlic granules and a little smoked paprika.

To finish, I brushed each piece with oil and drizzled them lightly with honey to help them caramelise. They went into the air fryer at 210°C for 10 minutes, and I gently flipped them after about 7 minutes to make sure they cooked evenly. The fish came out beautifully golden on the outside, still juicy on the inside - perfect for dropping into a curry sauce.

Building the lemongrass curry sauce

Getting the aromatics going

While the salmon was cooking, I started on the curry base. I chopped a small onion and minced a few cloves of garlic and a chunk of fresh ginger. Then I grabbed a few stalks of lemongrass, gave them a good bash with my meat tenderiser and cut them into short strips. Lemongrass is the heart of this dish, it brings that lovely citrus fragrance that makes Vietnamese curry so special.

I heated a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a shallow pot over medium-high heat, then added the onion, garlic and ginger. After a couple of minutes, when everything smelled fragrant and just started to brown, I added the lemongrass and sautéed for another minute or two.

Simmering the sauce

Once the base is ready, I added a tablespoon of curry powder and stirred it through so everything was well coated. Then I poured in some coconut water and brought it to a gentle boil. After that, I added a tin of coconut milk and turned the heat down slightly, letting it simmer for about 10 minutes. The sauce slowly thickened and turned beautifully golden. A splash of fish sauce and a sprinkle of brown sugar helped balance everything out and gave the curry a lovely savoury note.

Bringing it all together

When the curry sauce is ready, I gently placed the air-fried salmon into the pot, letting it sit in the sauce for just a minute or two to heat through and soak up the flavours without breaking apart. Then I turned off the heat and added a few sprigs of dill and some lime wedges. Dill isn't traditional but I love how fresh it tastes with salmon and lemongrass, it really brings the whole dish together.

While the curry rested, I boiled some broccoli to serve on the side. It's a simple way to add a bit of green and makes the meal feel even more balanced.

Time to eat

By the time the rice finished cooking, everything else was ready. I served the Lemongrass Salmon Curry with steamed rice and boiled broccoli. The salmon was juicy and packed with flavour and the curry sauce was rich, creamy and gently spiced with lemongrass, ginger and coconut. The honey added a hint of sweetness and the lime gave it a little lift. It was so moreish!

Why you'll love Lemongrass Salmon Curry

This Lemongrass Salmon Curry is the kind of dish that's going to appear regularly in our home. It's simple, quick and full of flavour. If you've got some salmon in the fridge and want something that feels special but doesn't take long to make, this is the perfect recipe to try. Warm, fragrant and nourishing, it's everything I want in a weekday dinner.