We will start off by brining the salmon. Fill a shallow dish with water that is big enough for your salmon fillets. Fill with water and dump a few tablespoons of salt. Drop in the fillets and let sit for about 30 minutes.

Remove salmon from brining water, rinse salt off, and pat dry.

Now make your marinade. Toast and grind up your spices. Add to the salmon along with the brown sugar, tamarind, ginger, garlic, and oil. Rub gently on both sides. (Keep in mind that some tamarind concentrates are more intense than others. I am using the Indian brand Laxmi here. If your tamarind is lighter, you might want to use more of it.)

You can pan-fry, bake, grill, or air-fry the fish. Timing will depend on how big and thick your fillets are. For a smaller 1/4 lb fillet, I cooked my salmon at 380 F for about 8 minutes in the air-fryer. If you are worried about accidentally over-cooking in the air-fryer, start with a shorter time and check on it. If salmon has turned opaque, it's ready. You do not need to flip the salmon on the other side in the air-fryer.

The fish should be flaky and tender! Serve with roasted potatoes or lemon rice and/or favorite chutneys.