Dr Rupy Aujla’s salmon tikka bowls with quick fennel and cabbage pickle

Every Tuesday in the Doctor’s Kitchen household, it’s salmon bowl night,” says Dr Rupy Aujla. “In this recipe we use a single tray to make the most delicious and easy bowls, packed with vegetables, grains and high-protein oily fish. It’s something I always look forward to. You can easily use an air fryer to cook the salmon instead in half the time.

“The brassica vegetables with spices, fruity Kashmiri chilli and sharp red cabbage pickle are a delicious combination of contrasting flavours that work harmoniously for your health and taste buds.”

Salmon tikka bowls with quick fennel and cabbage pickle

Ingredients:
(Serves 2)

2tbsp tikka masala paste or mild curry paste
300g salmon, skin on, cut into thick 4cm chunks
300g cauliflower, broken into 2cm florets
1tsp mustard seeds
½tsp ground turmeric
½tsp Kashmiri chilli or sweet paprika
1tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle

For the fennel and cabbage pickle:
100g red cabbage, finely shredded with a mandoline
2tsp fennel seeds
4tsp red wine vinegar
4tsp apple juice or 1tsp sugar
½tsp salt

To serve:
150g cooked short-grain brown rice, warmed
2tbsp Greek yoghurt
100g rocket leaves

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C fan.

2. Smother the salmon in the curry paste and cover with foil in a bowl. Leave to marinate in the fridge for 20 minutes (it’s even better overnight).

3. Add the cauliflower to a baking tray, sprinkle over the spices and drizzle over the olive oil and mix well. Then season well and bake for 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, add the cabbage, fennel seeds, vinegar, apple juice or sugar and salt to a mixing bowl and scrunch everything together with your hands for 30 seconds. Set aside.

5. Remove the tray from the oven, toss the cauliflower florets and turn up the heat to 220°C fan. Nestle the salmon, skin-side up, between the cauliflower florets and bake for another 10–12 minutes until the salmon is cooked through and golden coloured with some charring.

6. Build your bowls with the warmed rice, fennel and cabbage pickle, dollops of yoghurt, salmon and cauliflower, and rocket leaves with a drizzle of oil.

Protein boost: Add more salmon

Protein: 46.9g
Fibre: 7.4g

Healthy High Protein by Dr Rupy Aujla is published by Ebury Press, priced £26. Photography by Andrew Burton. Available now