Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon oil
1 cup basmati rice
1 onion, chopped finely
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 lime leaves, torn into pieces
2 1/4 cups cold water for poaching the fish
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus more for sprinkling
juice and zest of a lime plus more lime segments to serve fish sauce (nam pla) to taste
4 salmon fillets approx. 1 inch thick, preferably organic, skinned about 1 1/2 pounds in total

Method:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. This is because the easiest way to poach the salmon for this dish is to do it in the oven. So: pour the water into a roasting pan, add the lime leaves and then the salmon.

Cover the pan with foil, put in the oven and cook for about 15 minutes, by which time the salmon should be tender. Remove the pan from the oven and drain the liquid off into a pitcher. Keep the fish warm simply by replacing the foil on the pan.

Melt the butter in a wide, heavy saucepan that has a tight-fitting lid, and add the oil to stop the butter burning. Soften the onion in the pan and add the spices, then keep cooking till the onion is slightly translucent and suffused with the soft perfume of the spices.

Add the rice and stir with a wooden spoon so that it's all well coated. There's not enough onion to give heavy coating: just make sure the rice is fragrantly slicked.

Pour in the reserved liquid from the pitcher about 2 1/4 cups and stir before covering with the lid and cooking gently for about 15 minutes. If your stove is vociferous you may need a flame tamer.

At the end of the cooking time, when the rice is tender and has lost all chalkiness, turn off the heat, remove the lid, cover the pan with a dish towel and then replace the lid. This will help absorb any extra moisture from the rice.

It is also the best way to let the rice stand without getting sticky or cold, which is useful when you've got a few friends and a few dishes to keep your eye on.

Just before you want to eat, drain off any extra liquid that's collected in the dish with the salmon, then flake the fish with a fork. Add to it the rice, eggs, cilantro, lime juice and a drop or two of fish sauce. Stir gently to mix I use a couple of wooden paddles or spatulas and taste to see if you want any more lime juice or fish sauce.

Sprinkle over the zest from the two juiced halves of the lime and serve. I love it served just as it is in the roasting dish, but if you want to, and I often do (consistency is a requirement of a recipe but not a cook), decant into a large plate before you add the lime zest, then surround with lime segments and add the zest and a small handful of freshly chopped cilantro.

This is one of those rare dishes that manages to be comforting and light at the same time. And should you have leftovers, which I wouldn't count on it's heavenly eaten, as all leftovers demand to be, standing up, straight from the fridge.

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