- 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (nuoc mam or nam pla)
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 3 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- Pinch cayenne
- 1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 3 carrots, grated
- 4 scallions, including green tops, chopped
- 6 tablespoons chopped cilantro or fresh parsley
- 2 pounds skinless center-cut salmon fillet, cut into 4 pieces
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
- Stir the rice into a medium pot of boiling, salted water and cook until just done, about 10 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water and drain thoroughly.
- In a large glass or stainless-steel bowl, combine the lime juice, fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of the oil, the sugar, and cayenne. Let sit for about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice, cucumber, carrots, scallions, and cilantro.
- Heat the broiler. Oil a broiler pan or baking sheet. Coat the salmon with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Put the salmon on the pan. Broil until just barely done (the fish should still be translucent in the center), about 5 minutes for a 1-inch-thick fillet. Put the rice salad on plates and top with the salmon.