Miso Ginger Salmon with Kale and Quinoa

A healthy gut-friendly miso-ginger marinated Salmon served with side of lemony Sesame Kale salad and quinoa.

Dust-off the grill or switch-on broiler for few minutes..... and let's welcome spring with a lite, low-calorie Salmon Dinner. Sounds good? Isn't it?

Friends, this salmon dinner comes with promise of a comforting and easy weekday meal! Really, it can't get easier than this! With just 5 minutes cooking time, Miso Salmon fly from kitchen to dinner table! I would say, it is faster than waiting for Order in Asian dinner...... and much budget friendly too.

Today, I served Miso Ginger Salmon for dinner with lite kale salad and quinoa.

I went lite with today's Kale salad with just a touch of sesame oil and lemon drizzle. It really brings out the flavor of fresh raw kale and compliments the miso salmon. However, instead of Kale Salad and Quinoa, you can also serve Miso-Ginger Salmon with side of rice or a hearty pasta salad to make serving more substantial and more filling. 

PS: No, I'm not trying to share a new Kale Salad today.  It just happen to compliment a lite fish dinner very well. I told you, when we start bringing Kale in fresh produce.... I keep going with more Kale in meals until Vishal begs me to stop. ;) So, I'm soon gonna reach my kale limit... until than please enjoy Kale recipes. :-)

I would rate White Miso Salmon mild with subtle flavor of white miso and ginger.... yet with very distinct Asian umami soy taste. Cooking the marinated salmon under broiler tones down the strong flavor leaving behind a flavorful char and flavor-infused flaky salmon. 

What is Miso?

Fermented soy beans and rice paste, miso is a Japanese seasoning. You can spot Miso in Asian aisle of most stores. If you love Asian flavors, I recommend trying it. It tastes good and since it is made with fermented soy beans... it is also good for the gut. Without doubt, I mostly use miso in cooking for it's gut-friendly fermented beans which are good for health. I must say, when I first had miso, I really liked the fermented soy taste. Miso has various varieties. I have only come across white and red. White Miso is milder than red miso. Miso is very potent and salty, so a little goes a long way. If you just starting using it, use less.  
Other than marinades, I like to add some in salad dressings and also in miso soup. 

I'm sure you agree, restaurant's Salmon Menu can be little expensive. Actually, not little, a lot expensive! Cooking Salmon at home is easy, far less expensive and healthier than meats.  Plus, if you are ever intimidated by cooking salmon perfectly? This 4 minute broiler method will make you home-cooked-salmon-lover, for sure! 

What I like best about cooking seafood/fish at home? Other than healthy Omega-3s (of-course), that it needs very less marination time. Like this Miso-Ginger Salmon, I just coat in miso paste and set aside for 5 minutes before I thread it in skewers and broil. You can leave salmon in marinate longer. Never more than 1-2 hours. The delicate flesh of fish or seafood can start cooking in acidic marinates very quickly..... So, a fish marinade should have least acid, just flavor enhancing ingredients.

PS: For this recipe, I sliced salmon vertically in half (you can ask butcher to slice and clean salmon), which reduces the cooking time and also cooks salmon in broiler quickly.. without need to turn halfway. 

If you broiling or grilling thicker steaks of salmon, please adjust the cooking time. I suggest turning the skewers halfway through cooking to cook both sides properly. 

Diet Info: This Miso Salmon is Gluten Free and also dairy free. Just make sure to check the label on White Miso Paste for gluten. For soy sauce, always use Tamari which is naturally gluten free.

Spring is here :) How about grilling some Miso-Salmon for dinner tonight?

Wish you great start of Monday and Happy Spring!