Steamed Salmon with Garlic Herb Yogurt

Steaming is a wonderful way to prepare fish as you avoid cooking with added oil. It is also a very forgiving method of cooking as it keeps the fish moist. After all the holiday feasting, it’s doubly important to have light meals like this one to regain our balance. The bonus is that you can whip this up in a flash, so you know a wholesome meal is just a few minutes away.

Serves 4 Prep Time 10 minutes Cooking Time 7 to 10 minutes

For the garlic-herb yogurt
1 to 2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
1 to 2 springs cilantro
1 bunch dill
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt (we used Rizal Dairy Farms Greek yogurt)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

4 (150- to 180-gram) salmon fillets
1 lemon, sliced into rounds

1  Make the garlic herb yogurt: Pick the leaves off the parsley and cilantro sprigs. Take 1 to 2 sprigs off dill and pick leaves off as well. Chop all the leaves finely. Mix the chopped herbs with the yogurt and olive oil until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep in the fridge until ready to serve.

2  Place water in a wok, cover, and place over high heat to boil.

3  Meanwhile, line a bamboo steamer basket with parchment paper. Poke some holes in the parchment with a knife or a skewer. Line the parchment with the rest of the dill. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper and place fillets over the dill. Top each fillet with a lemon slice (save the rest of the lemon to serve alongside the cooked salmon) and cover the steamer.

4  Once the water comes to a boil, lower the heat to a fast simmer and place steamer basket on the wok. Make sure the water does not touch the steamer basket; discard excess water if necessary. Steam the fish for about 7 to 10 minutes or until just done. You can check by piercing the fish lightly with the point of a small knife; if it flakes easily, it’s done.

5  Garnish salmon fillets with dill and black pepper. Serve with the garlic herb yogurt and extra lemon slices on the side.

Leftover tip: If you have leftovers, you can flake the salmon and make a sandwich spread with any extra yogurt. You can also use the flaked salmon to top a salad or toss with some pasta.

Photography by Patrick Martires | Styling by Paulynn Chang-Afable