GAIL MONAGHAN

COOKING - ENTERTAINING - LINENS

July 2025 - Spicy Asian Salmon with Chili Dipping Sauce

Gail Monaghan

SPICY ASIAN SALMON

with Chili Dipping Sauce

About the Recipe

This Asian salmon is easy and always a crowd-pleaser. A summer grill is fine if you prefer to cook outdoors, but be sure to let the coals burn down a good bit so the grill is not too, too hot. You don't want to char the fish. Another recipe perk is that it can be cooked a few hours ahead of time, set aside and then served at room temperature.

It's a marvelous summer dish but I happily serve it all year long. The sauce as-is is medium spicy, but you can experiment with more or less chili paste (or use chili garlic paste, sambal olek or anything similar) to taste. 

Brown or Jasmine rice, sticky rice, or sesame noodles are perfect alongside and nicely sop up the sauce. Add a cooked Asian vegetable and you've got dinner. If you want more, an Asian soup or salad works to begin or even summer rolls if you're up for making them (see my February 2024 Recipe of the Month).

You can also experiment using this recipe and sauce with steak or chicken thighs though I like it best with salmon.

Spicy Asian Salmon with Chili Dipping Sauce

Serves 6 generously

Ingredients

For the Salmon:

  •  2 tablespoons Soy Sauce or Tamari

  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce

  • 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

  • 2 pounds salmon filet, in one piece or cut into portions

For the Sauce:

  •  3 tablespoons fish sauce

  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 

  • 3 tablespoons chopped shallots

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped scallions

  • 1 teaspoon Chinese chili paste or more to taste

  • 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar

  • Chopped scallions and/or cilantro to garnish

Method

For the Salmon:

  1. Whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and oil in a small bowl. Place fish in a large resealable plastic bag and pour in marinade, making sure all the fish is coated. Seal bag, removing as much air as possible, and place in refrigerator and let marinate 4 hours to 24 hours.

For the Sauce:

  1. Whisk together fish sauce, lime juice, cilantro, shallots, scallions, chili paste, and sugar. Set aside.

  2. Preheat oven to 500F. Put a sheet pan in the oven to heat along with the oven. Line with foil for easier clean up. When oven is ready and pan very hot, transfer salmon –skin side down to pan. It will sizzle. Cook 9-12 minutes or until done to your liking.

  3. Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately with sauce. Garnish with chopped scallions and cilantro.