Wild AK Salmon Scrap Kofta-style Patties on Salad

1.) Scrape the meat off of the bones and fins with a spoon
2.) Mince it finely and mix it with:
*toasted cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds, and freshly ground pepper and salt
*minced garlic, onion, cilantro, chiles, and mint
*eggs
3.) Form the meat mixture into patties or balls and then coat them with Panko bread crumbs
4.) Heat some corn oil well and fry the patties over medium heat
5.) Lay the patties over garden greens with raita (an Indian sauce to cool your mouth down made from yogurt with cucumber, tomato, and whatever herbs you want–I like mine with raisins too)
6.) If you like spicy and sour tastes, top each patty mango pickle (achar). My favorite brands of pickle are Priya and National.

Laura Avellaneda-Cruz, Contributor

Laura Avellaneda-Cruz works in the tribal health system on maternal child health and domestic and sexual violence data and program evaluation. A Licensed Master Social Worker and former teacher, her main foci are violence prevention and intervention, but she is also interested in overall community wellness, including obesity prevention and sustainable food systems. An Alaskan since she was a little girl, Laura has only in the past few years been learning to harvest and process fish, game, and wild greens, along with her husband, Oscar Avellaneda-Cruz. Laura and Oscar eat from their garden, bike commute as much as they can, and work to build inclusive and equitable community in Anchorage and around Alaska.