Black Lime Salmon

Updated June 21, 2024

Black Lime Salmon
Linda Xiao for The New York Times Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Heather Greene.
Total Time
35 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(194)
Comments
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This deceptively simple salmon dish is as striking in flavor as in appearance, and will serve just as well for a dinner party centerpiece as a quick midweek dinner. The salmon is covered in a punchy black lime marinade, then baked in the oven and topped with fresh bursts of sour cream and grated tomato. Black limes (also known as Omani or Persian limes) are limes that have been boiled in salt water before being dried and blackened in the sun. They have an intensely sweet, citrusy flavor, with a hint of bitterness. Serve this salmon alongside a bowl of rice.

Featured in: My Favorite Way to Make Salmon Even Better

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 3dried black limes (or 5 teaspoons black lime powder; see Tip)
  • teaspoons light brown sugar
  • 1teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½teaspoon cayenne powder
  • teaspoons sweet paprika
  • Fine sea salt
  • 4tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1whole (1½- to 2-pound) salmon fillet (skin on or off)
  • 3plum tomatoes
  • 1small garlic clove, minced
  • cup/80 grams sour cream, plus extra to serve
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

401 calories; 31 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 15 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 11 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 22 grams protein; 543 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 475 degrees.

  2. Step 2

    Place the limes, sugar, cumin, cayenne, 1 teaspoon of the paprika and 1 teaspoon of salt in a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder. Transfer to a small bowl and mix with the oil.

  3. Step 3

    Place the salmon in a large roasting pan, skin-side down if using a skin-on fillet, and cover the salmon with all of the oil mixture. Roast until the salmon is just cooked through and flaky, about 12 minutes, then let rest for 2 minutes before serving.

  4. Step 4

    While the salmon roasts, grate the tomatoes on the coarse side of a box grater, discarding the spent skins. Transfer into a fine sieve set over a bowl and stir a few times, then discard the strained liquid. Transfer the tomato pulp into the bowl, and season with the remaining ½ teaspoon paprika, the garlic and ¼ teaspoon salt.

  5. Step 5

    To serve, carefully transfer the salmon to a serving platter, then dollop the sour cream over the salmon followed by half of the tomato mixture. Spoon the roasting oil back over the salmon and serve with the extra sour cream and tomato on the side to taste.

Tip
  • Black limes can be a little hard to find, but they are worth searching for. Try a specialty Middle Eastern supermarket, if you have access to one, or order them online. A spice or coffee grinder is essential to turn them into a fine powder, but a powerful blender can also be used; just pass the coarse powder through a fine sieve after blending. If needed, crush them by pressing down on them with your palm before grinding. Rather than pulverizing whole black limes, you could substitute 5 teaspoons black lime powder.

Ratings

5 out of 5
194 user ratings
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Comments

Photo shown is deceptive. Recipe specifies cook with skin down and place toppings on salmon flesh. One would need to scrape the off to get at the flesh is the picture we’re followed.

I would use hot lime pickle, sold in Indian food stores. Both Swad and Atak brands are good. The pickle contains all of the spices listed, plus mustardseed, which is always good with salmon.

I thought that also but magnifying picture makes me think that's not skin, its the black lime coating.

I made this with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Yum. I bought the Ground Omani Black Limes at Oakltown Spice in Albany, California. I didn’t have any fresh tomatoes so used some canned, diced tomatoes and some vegan sour cream. It was delicious.

This was an amazing meal, thank you so much! I added steam to the oven and the salmon was really melting. WOW. I prepared the tomatoes in advance, putting them in halves on a little bit of olive oil, pinch of salt, cayenne and sugar 1 hr at 180° C , peeled them (very easy when warm), then let them sit overnight in the fridge. What a treat!

This was a weird one for me. Too sweet. All together with sour cream and tomato in one bite was edible, but won't be making this again. Disappointed as it's such a gorgeous presentation.

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