This salmon recipe is a play on a Sri Lanka fish dish I tried while in Colombo. The fish used there was different but salmon works so well here.
Cashews are hugely popular in Sri Lankan cuisine. I enjoyed a similar sauce with freshly caught barbecued fish while there. Fishermen cooked and sold their catch of the day with some of the most delicious homemade sauces I’ve ever tried.
Knowing Sri Lankan cuisine, there were probably a lot more ingredients in the sauce I tried but this is quite close.
In fact, my wife wants me to make it again for a dinner party we’re having this weekend. Score!
Top salmon recipe cooking tip.
When cooking salmon, it is important to get as much moisture out of the skin as possible. If you don’t, it won’t get crispy. To do this, simply press the blade of a knife at an angle on the skin and scrape the moisture out. Run the knife along the skin a few times to get the moisture out. The skin should feel dry to the touch.
Once you have the moisture out of the skin, you’re ready to go
International & UK Orders
Pan Seared Salmon With Cashew & Coriander Sauce

Ingredients
- 4 x skin on salmon fillets
- 70ml (1/4 cup) rapeseed oil plus more for frying
- 150g (about 1 cup) salted and roasted cashews
- 1 green chilli pepper - finely chopped
- 1 small red onion - finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic - finely chopped
- 1 small bunch of coriander
- Juice of two limes
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by making the sauce. Using a pestle and mortar or food processor, grind the cashews, green chilli, onion, garlic and coriander into a paste.
- While continuing to grind, slowly add the rapeseed oil. The sauce will turn from a paste into a creamy sauce.
- Add the lime juice and continue grinding to combine it all.
- Add salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
- Heat a little oil in a frying pan over high heat.
- Scrape the moisture from the skin of your salmon and place the salmon fillets skin side down in the pan. I usually press down on the fillets so that the skin crisps evenly.
- Don't turn the fillets over in the pan until the salmon is about 70% cooked through. Flip and then cook to your preferred doneness. I like my salmon a little pink inside. Season
- Spoon about one tablespoon of the cashew sauce onto four heated plated.
- Place a salmon fillet on top of each.
- Garnish with lime and serve with a green or tomato salad.
I hope you enjoy this easy and delicious Sri Lankan salmon recipe. If you would like to try another from my travels in Sri Lanka, be sure to try this amazing Sri Lankan fish curry!