Spicy Salmon Bowls

1. Make the lime yogurt sauce. In a small bowl, stir together Greek yogurt, lime zest, lime juice, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Add mayonnaise if using. Thin with water 1 tablespoon at a time until it’s drizzle-friendly. Taste and adjust lime and salt. Refrigerate while you cook.
2. Toss the crunchy cabbage. In a medium bowl, combine cabbage, cucumber, vinegar, oil, honey, and salt. Toss and let it sit while the salmon cooks. It softens slightly but stays crisp.
3. Season the salmon. Pat salmon dry. In a bowl, toss salmon with olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Make sure every piece gets coated. If you’re using skin-on pieces, try to keep the skin side mostly dry so it sears better.
4. Sear for crisp edges. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add a light slick of oil if your pan needs it. Arrange salmon pieces in a single layer with space between them. Cook 2 to 3 minutes without moving, until deeply browned on the first side and the fish releases easily. If the spices start to darken too fast or the pan is smoking, lower the heat slightly.
5. Flip and finish. Flip salmon and cook 2 to 4 minutes more, depending on thickness, until cooked through and flaky. If the pan looks dry, add a teaspoon of oil. Turn off heat.
6. Build the bowls. Divide warm brown rice between bowls. (If you’re using leftover rice, warm it first so the whole bowl eats hot.) Top with crunchy cabbage mix and salmon. Drizzle with lime yogurt sauce and finish with avocado, sesame seeds, scallions, or an extra squeeze of lime.

My tiny trick: If your salmon sticks when you try to flip it, give it 30 seconds. Crispy crust releases when it’s ready.