Grilled Salmon with Ginger Hibicus Glaze

Just before the pandemic, I went to Bali with my daughter Cybella.

Since the age of 12, Cybella has been raising money to open libraries for children in Indonesia through a program called: The World Is Just a Book Away. She sold jewelry, held bake sales, and we helped with her fundraising by having Balinese-themed benefit parties at home, where the whole family cooked together.

Her senior year at school in Auckland, she was awarded a philanthropy prize that paid for a trip to Bali to be present for the opening of her third library: The Khen Tran Library, named in honor of the woman who raised me and was her grandmother at heart.

When we finally made it to Bali, I noticed hibiscus everywhere. It was candied, used in drinks, and incorporated into all sorts of things. I loved seeing a flower I had always thought of as ornamental treated as an ingredient.

Back in New Zealand, I started looking at our beautiful red hibiscus bushes differently. When I wrote Feasting on Flowers during lockdown, I wanted to find a way to use hibiscus in a savory dish.

The idea of an adapted teriyaki-style sauce came to mind. Hibiscus adds a lovely tartness and color. I had leftover candied hibiscus, which I used as a garnish in this picture, and fresh hibiscus flowers from a neighbor's bush.

And so this hibiscus-glazed salmon came about.

Now that I’m in Mexico, hibiscus has worked its way into my everyday life again. I make agua de jamaica almost daily.

Although I did get a stern talking-to from my dentist, who pointed out that all that beautiful red tea was turning my teeth a rather alarming shade of purple-grey. Apparently, I should have been using a straw to drink several strong brewed cups a day.

So, consider this a recipe and a dental warning.

Grilled Salmon with a Ginger Hibiscus Glaze

Hibiscus syrup makes a beautiful, slightly tart base for a glaze (or teriyaki sauce) that can be used as a sauce for fish or meat. With a slightly fruity, tangy taste, hibiscus is a spectacular accompaniment to salmon.

For more recipes, check out mine and Noah’s recipe database: Wandering.kitchen

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 salmon steaks, grilled

Scallion greens, sliced finely for garnish

For the sauce:

1 cup soy sauce

½ cup hibiscus simple syrup (see below)

1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil

2 Tablespoons mirin

1 Tablespoon sriracha sauce (or chili sauce/pepper flakes)

In a medium-sized saucepan, over medium-high heat, combine all sauce ingredients and bring to a gentle boil. Allow to cook until the sauce thickens and slightly caramelizes. Approximately 10-15 minutes. Watch carefully, as you don’t want to burn the sugar. Remove from heat and serve sauce drizzled over grilled salmon steaks with a bowl of jasmine rice, if you have it

Hibiscus Simple Syrup

Many flower varieties have a wonderful perfumed flavor, making them a perfect base for flavored simple syrups. Flower syrup can be used to add a hint of floral flavor to everything from cocktails to sauces and desserts. All you need is some water, sugar, and a handful of aromatic flowers. Rose, carnation, lavender, magnolia, violets, elderflower, lilac, and jasmine are some of the flowers that make superb syrups. In particular, hibiscus, with its striking crimson color and tart cranberry taste makes a fantastic syrup.

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar (honey may be substituted)

2 cups of hibiscus tea, strongly brewed

Pinch of salt (helps bring out the sweetness)

Combine tea and sugar and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan, bring to a gentle boil and cook until a thick syrup forms. Strain the syrup and pour into a sterilized airtight container. Keep chilled in the refrigerator for up to a month.