These Sticky Silan Chili Salmon Bowls are exactly the kind of meal I come back to again and again, quick, vibrant, and layered with so much flavor. The glaze is sweet, tangy, and just a little spicy, made with silan (date syrup), honey, soy sauce, and chili garlic paste for that perfect balance of richness and heat. I’ve always loved cooking with Mediterranean ingredients, but since my husband’s mom is from Taiwan, I find myself naturally drawn to incorporating Asian flavors into my kitchen too. This dish really reflects that blend, served over creamy coconut rice with a fresh avocado, mango, and cucumber salad, it’s the kind of effortless, feel-good dinner that comes together in just 20 minutes but tastes like so much more.
Sticky Silan Chili Salmon Bowls
These Sticky Silan Chili Salmon Bowls come together in just 20 minutes and deliver the perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and spicy. Caramelized salmon is glazed in a rich silan, honey, and chili sauce, then served over fluffy coconut rice with a fresh avocado, mango, and cucumber salad. It’s vibrant, satisfying, and perfect for an easy, elevated weeknight dinner or a laid-back summer meal.
Ingredients
Coconut Rice
- 1 cup basmati or jasmine rice rinsed and drained
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 cup water
- 1 in piece of ginger cut into 3
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Salmon and Glaze
- 2 lbs salmon cut into 2-in cubes
- 3 garlic cloves smashed
- ¼ cup silan
- 2 tbsp honey
- ⅓ cup white wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- ¼ cup chili garlic sauce
Mango Avocado Salad
- 1 large mango cut into ½ in cubes
- 1 large avocado cut into ½ in cubes
- 2 Persian cucumbers cut into thin slices
- 1 lime
- good olive oil
- kosher salt
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Heat broiler and place a rack in the middle of your oven. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper and set aside.
- Start with the rice, as this takes the longest time to cook. In a small nonstick sauce pan, bring rice, coconut milk, water, ginger and salt to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a low simmer and cover the with the lid. Let cook 15-18 minutes and remove from the heat.
- Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet cook garlic cloves, silan, honey, vinegar, soy sauce and chili sauce, over medium heat, stirring often until it develops a syrupy consistency. (5-7 minutes.) Let cool slightly, discard the garlic pieces and set aside 2 tbsp of the sauce for serving.
- On the prepared sheet tray, add the salmon pieces and glaze with the silan chili sauce. Broil for 5-7 minutes until the salmon is cooked through.
- While the salmon cooks, shop up the mango, avocado and cucumber. Toss it in a bowl with lime juice, salt and a good drizzle of olive oil.
- To serve, divide rice and salmon into 4 bowls. Top with mango avocado salad and garnish with sesame seeds.