Five years ago, salmon was not very common in Thailand or in other Asian countries as well, for that matter – except Japan. This is not because the fish is rare of a kind but simply because this particular fish had to be imported from abroad and that the import duty remained high by 60% in Thailand.
This was the primary obstacle for the Norwegian-Thai trade until Ivar Hoff, the former Commercial Counselor of the Norwegian Trade Council, changed the history of Norwegian salmon trade in 1999. The bilateral negotiation between Thailand and Norway was signed, in which the import duty of Norwegian salmons was reduced to 5%.
Now that the import duty is less and the fish no longer the exclusive food, Ivar Hoff and his staff headed off to promote the Norwegian seafood at many exhibitions, where many importers showed high interests. Today, salmon is found everywhere and served in a huge variety of ways.
Salmons are low in cholesterol but are rich in DHA and EPA, which form part of the Omega-3 fatty acids. Since the fish contains high proteins, minerals and very little fat, people are turning their attention to consume more salmons, particularly the health concerned consumers and women who crave for decent diet.
Since salmons are becoming the all time favorites for many Thais and Westerners alike, here are two simple recipes of salmon delicacies for big time parties.
Deep fried salmon in pandan leaves for the serving size of four requires the following ingredients; 1 kg. of salmon fillets, 20 gm. of coriander root, 40 gm. of chopped garlic, 10 gm. of pepper powder, 30 gm. of oyster sauce, 10 gm. of Maggi sauce, 20 gm. of white soy sauce, 10 gm. of salt, 20 gm. of sesame oil and 100 gm. of cooking oil.
It does not take too much effort in putting together the ingredients and create such sumptuous Thai-Norwegian snack. First, cut the salmon fillets into small pieces of about 30 gm. each. Then mix the chopped coriander roots and garlic together along with other ingredients in a bowl and marinate them for about three hours. Wrap the marinated salmons with pandan leaves and deep fry with medium heat until they turn golden brown. The bite sized snacks are now ready to serve.
If deep fried food gets you concerned about fat and calories, the next menu offers the Thai traditional taste of spiciness and a good company for alcohols. Salmon salad with garlic lemon sauce for the serving size of four will take 60 gm. of green salad, 75 gm. of salmon, 2 tablespoons of chopped lemongrass and coriander leaves, 8 tablespoons of lime juice, 6 tablespoons of fish sauce, 4 tablespoons of palm sugar, 4 tablespoons of fresh chili and 6 tablespoons of chopped garlic.
Slice salmon fillets into thin bite sized pieces and then wash the green salad and cut into bite sizes. Prepare the salad sauce by combining all the ingredients and mix them well. Arrange the salad in the middle of the plate and arrange salmon fillets on top of the plate. Then pour the lemon sauce over the fish and garnish with chopped lemongrass and coriander leaves. The spicy salmon salad is now ready to serve. Note that the ingredients mentioned above are for the serving size of four, more people mean you will have to add up the amount.
Norway does not promote only its salmons. Other seafood is also gaining popularity such as mackerel, trout and caviar. The country is among the world’s top seafood exporters. They create a message that the best fish comes from Norway, a widespread reputation that they have to work hard to maintain.
