Salmon Styles

I love seafood. Where I come from, seafood is very much a part of our diet. Fish, squid, jellyfish, crabs, prawns or shrimps, cuttlefish, stingray and just about any kind of fish. 

Fish, in particular, is pretty much a daily thing. From fresh to salted to preserved, we eat pretty much all kinds of fish. In fact, we even have specific types of fish that should be eaten during healing or recuperation times, for example after childbirth or surgery, and fish that shouldn't be eaten during those same times. Peculiar, isn't it? So yes, fish has always been a huge part of my diet. 

So imagine moving from a land where seafood is in abundance to a city where, um, it's not. Talk about a 180°lifestyle change. Needless to say, being able to have any form of seafood is a chance I will definitely take. 

And so it was that I actually manged to eat salmon twice in a week at two different places (oh, what joy!) 💃 What was even better, they were served in two very different ways, both of which held their own charm. My first salmon moment this week was back at the Asia Food Sushi Bar, TEC Erfurt (the same eatery where I had my shrimps in an earlier blog). I figured I should find out if the other stuff on their menu could satisfy the cooking Asian in me. And being a fish-lover, I went for the fried salmon in spicy sauce. 

Typical Asian style served with rice, and mixed vegetables on the side, or in this case, under. First, I have to say, I love how it's served hot. There is nothing as tantalizing as the mixed smells of freshly-cooked rice combined with the scent of sweet coconut milk from the sauce, wafting up the nostrils and lazily tickling the palate along its way. It just makes you so impatient to just dig in. 

Then, I love how the fried salmon was on top, independent of the sauce, vegetables and rice, holding its own. It's brilliant, because it means when you cut into the fish, the semi-crispy outer layer breaks to reveal the softer, moister flesh inside without being contaminated by the sauce. In other words, you could "see" the pinkish flesh and if you were to bite into a slice, the combination of crispy-ish outer layer and soft flesh is a true enjoyment. So, the fish being the star of the show gets a thumbs-up from me. 

The thing about salmon, though, is that it is, in essence, a pretty bland fish where pan-fried. Some fishes have sweet meat, the salmon doesn't. Being a fish-eater, this can be an issue sometimes. I mean, who wants to eat bland fish? It would be like eating paper, no? 

So, for this meal, it's pretty smart that the the Asia Food Sushi Bar serves it with a choice of sauces - curry, sweet sour or teriyaki. I like my food to have a kick, so I picked curry. And I am not wrong. Mixing the salmon in the curry sauce creates a unique food combo. The curry is creamy (from the coconut milk) and a little spicy. By my standards, I would prefer it to be spicier because, after all, it's supposed to be a curry, for heaven's sake. But I do understand that my level of spiciness may be a little over the top for many locals, so I'm not going to make it an issue (when in Rome, remember?). I would, however, suggest to make it less sweet. A little less sweet and it would enhance the tastes of the varied spices to make a curry. The sugar is supposed to enhance the curry, not to overwhelm it. Again, I realize that this is a cultural difference, but listen, if it's going to be sweet, then maybe it should be called Fried Salmon in Sweet Curry Sauce. But since it isn't, then less sweet should be the way to go. Plus, a little less sugar in foods never killed anyone ✌ 

The vegetables this time are much better. Slices were more generous, and didn't have that "leftover" feeling. Either it was a different cook on shift, or the purchaser topped up their stock. Whichever it was, vegetables were good this week and for €8,99, I ain't complainin'. 

Now to a different kind of pan-fried salmon. This time, it was at Nordsee Anger, which is right in the city centre. As its name suggests, this is the place to get freshly-cooked fast food with plenty of fish (i.e salmon) options. 

Here's the thing: I like to try meals that are on offer, because it's my way of judging first-hand if the business prioritised profit over customer satisfaction. Some places put substandard ingredients in their Offer Meals and justify it with the "it's cheap so don't complain if it isn't perfect" mentality. For me, if a business put low quality stuff as an offer, there isn't any reason to buy the "normal" stuff. I mean, if the so-called cheap stuff isn't worth my time, then why would the more expensive stuff be? 

So, back to my salmon. 

This was on offer at €7,99. A simple salmon with my choice of potatoes and gravy. I decided to go for fried sliced potatoes and Remoulade (a type of gravy dip that's like a combination of mayonnaise and chopped herbs, and served cold). For a little extra, I could have mushrooms added, which sometimes I do because I love mushrooms, but not today. Today, I decided to go basic. 

The salmon was nicely lightly fried. There was that crisp (not crispy) feeling when slicing into it with my knife. The flesh inside was a trifle dry, though but that was easily remedied by dipping into the Remoulade. Yes, that's what dips are for. Together, the two make a delectable combination - the freshly hot fish flavour with a tinge of the sourness from the Remoulade gives a pleasing sensation in the mouth, and the contrast in temperatures crown the whole experience very nicely. 

The fried potatoes were also a charm. Not oily and fried enough to be slightly crusty in some parts but not overly crusty that it feels like you're eating burnt wood. The slices, too, were nicely sized - bite-sized so I don't have to cut them up even when they're sliced. Less work when eating is always my thing. 

What I love about Nordsee Erfurt food is that, despite the fact that it is fast food (as in you pick and choose your selections), they're not oily. Fried they may be, but I won't find oil slicks on my empty plate when I'm done, which I love because it makes me feel that I won't have those oil slicks in my tummy too.  

I'm a sucker for fried foods. I know they're not the healthiest, but if I have to satisfy my tummy, indulge I will. So when I can find good fried foods that make me feel good after I, umm, devour them, all the more better. So being able to obliterate two types of fried salmons in one week, is pure, unadulterated joy. 

I got lucky this week. Two satisfying meals at two different places, and both fish, and both fried. Oh my, it's like I hit the Lotto Jackpot. Oh, happy day.