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Preheat the oven to 220 C/gas mark 7.
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This is because the easiest way to poach the salmon for this is to do it in the oven.
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So: pour the water into a roasting dish, add in the lime leaves and then the salmon.
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Cover the dish with foil, put in the oven and cook for about 15 min, by that time the salmon should be tender.
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Remove the dish from the oven and drain the liquid off into a jug.
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Keep the fish hot simply by replacing the foil on the dish.
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Heat the butter in a wide, heavy saucepan which has a tight-fitting lid, and add in the oil to stop the butter burning.
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Soften the onion in the pan and add in the spices, then keep cooking until the onion is slightly translucent/soft and suffused with the soft perfume of the spices.
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Add in the rice and stir with a wooden spoon so which it's all well coated.
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There's not sufficient onion to give a heavy coating: just make sure the rice is fragrantly slicked.
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Pour in the reserved liquid from the jug - about 500ml - and stir before covering with the lid and cooking gently for about 15 min.
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If your stove is vociferous you may need a heat-diffuser.
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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 tea towel and then replace the lid.
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This will help absorb any extra moisture from the rice.
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It is also the best way to let the rice stand without getting claggy or possibly cool, that is useful when you've got a few friends and a few dishes to keep your eye on.
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Just before you want to eat, drain off any extra liquid which's collected in the dish with the salmon, then flake the fish with a fork.
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Add in to it the rice, Large eggs, coriander, lime juice and a drop or possibly two of fish sauce.
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Stir gently to mix - I use a couple of wooden paddles or possibly spatulas - and taste to see if you want any more lime juice or possibly fish sauce.
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Sprinkle over the zest from the two juiced halves of the lime and serve.
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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 in the lime zest, then surround with lime segments and add in the zest and a small handful of freshly minced coriander.
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This is one of those rare dishes which manages to be comforting and light at the same time.
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And - should you have leftovers, that I wouldn't bank on - it's heavenly eaten, as all leftovers demand to be, standing up, straight from the fridge.
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Recipes
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Copyright (c) Nigella Lawson 2001
