Transform ordinary dinners with this easy one-pot Vietnamese Rice Cooker Salmon Rice. Tender salmon with a Nuoc Cham Sauce to effortlessly burst with flavours!
If you’re a fan of quick and tasty Asian-inspired dishes, this one’s for you! This recipe is not only a game-changer in terms of flavour but also a breeze to whip up – Vietnamese Rice Cooker Salmon with a Nuoc Cham Sauce.
This is another one of those recipes that came out of a pantry-clearing session, and it stayed in rotation. Rice, flavoured with aromatic lemongrass and topped with salmon and vegetables, all cooked in one pot! The cherry on the cake is that final drizzle of zingy nuoc cham sauce, for a burst of flavours that will transform busy weeknights.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One-Pot Rice Cooker Magic: Harness the power of your rice cooker for more than just perfect rice. It’s the secret weapon for achieving perfectly cooked salmon every time.
- Well-Balanced Goodness: This recipe includes rice, salmon and vegetables, all cooked at one go for a nutritious, well-balanced meal.
- Effortless Flavours: The combination of lemongrass and nuoc cham sauce creates a harmonious blend of citrusy, savory, and sweet notes, making each bite a flavour explosion.
Key Ingredients for Rice Cooker Salmon Rice
- Salmon Fillets: Salmon fillets about 150g (5oz) each will work for this recipe. The shape or dimensions doesn’t matter, since the salmon will get evenly steamed in the rice cooker. No marination is needed here; the nuoc cham sauce will do all the seasoning! I used 2 Salmon Fillets, but 1 can also suffice for 2 servings.
- Rice: Any rice will work, be sure to adjust the liquid level accordingly. This recipe uses white rice. The general ratio of white rice to liquid is 1:1, or follow the directions or water indicator level on the rice cooker.
- Lemongrass: Bruised to release flavour, and and cut into big chunks for easy removal later on. See How to Prepare Lemongrass for detailed instructions on how to bruise.
- Broccoli: Or your vegetable of choice to make this a well-balanced meal! Firmer vegetables will work best for this, such as carrots or cauliflower. If using leafy vegetables, add it to the pot at the last 5 minutes or so of cooking. You can also serve a raw salad on the side, Vietnamese-style, with lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers.
For the Nuoc Cham Sauce:
- Fish Sauce
- Lime Juice: Lime juice will add a fresh acidity with a layer of sweetness. Alternatively, use lemon juice, or replace with vinegar.
- Vinegar
- Sugar
- Garlic
- Bird’s Eye Chillies: Regular chillies will work too, but bird’s eye chillies will give the Nuoc Cham that nice spicy kick! Feel free to omit if serving children – but keep aside chillies for your own plate!
- Water
What Rice Cooker To Use?
This recipe can work with ANY standard rice cooker.
I’m using this Zojirushi Rice Cooker:
- Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 Neuro Fuzzy Cooker
- Zojirushi NS-ZAQ10 Micom Fuzzy Logic (the exact one I purchased – this is the same as the model above; it’s labelled differently in Singapore/Southeast Asia. This is a ‘Made in Japan’ model.)
The Zojirushi range of rice cookers are well-loved for its reliability, effortlessly perfect rice each time and best of all… the musical chime when your rice is done! I enjoy my Zojirushi and highly recommend it.
How to Make Vietnamese Rice Cooker Salmon Rice:
1. Prep Ingredients.
To the pot, add rice and rinse until water runs clear.
Bruise lemongrass, and cut into large chunks.
Finely chop garlic and bird’s eye chillies.
If using frozen salmon, make sure salmon is fully thawed before cooking.
2. Add Ingredients to the Rice Cooker Pot
Fill the rice cooker pot with with rice and pour in water. Place the pot in the rice cooker.
Add bruised lemongrass chunks to the rice, wiggling the pieces in evenly throughout the pot.
Top with salmon fillets and broccoli florets.
3. Cook!
Close the lid and cook the rice!
4. Nuoc Cham Sauce
While the rice is cooking, make the Nuoc Cham Sauce. In a separate bowl, combine fish sauce, lime juice, vinegar, water, sugar, minced garlic, and chopped red chili. Adjust sweetness and spiciness to taste (I always add a tad bit more garlic and chilli).
5. Flavour the Rice!
Once the rice cooker is done, the dish is ready! Salmon should be cooked through and flaky.
Pour in just half of the Nuoc Cham sauce.
Break the salmon with a rice paddle, and stir through to combine with the rice and Nuoc Cham.
6. Garnish and Serve
Sprinkle fresh cilantro. Serve with the remaining Nuoc Cham sauce on the side.
More Recipes Like This:
- Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken Bowl with Nuoc Cham
- Rice Cooker Honey Soy Wings
- Air Fryer Bang Bang Salmon
Vietnamese Rice Cooker Salmon Rice
2
servings10
minutes30
minutesIngredients
2 x Salmon Fillets (about 150g (5oz) each)
1 cup rice
1 cup water
2 stalks lemongrass, bruised and sliced into large chunks (see How to Prepare Lemongrass for detailed instructions on how to bruise.
1 cup broccoli
- Nuoc Cham Sauce
2 tbsps fish sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 tbsp sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 bird’s eye chili, finely chopped (adjust according to spice tolerance)
Cilantro, for garnish
Directions
- Fill the rice cooker pot with with rice and rinse until water runs clear. Place the pot in the rice cooker. Top the rice with water. Follow the indicator line on the rice cooker, if available.
- Add bruised lemongrass chunks to the rice, wiggling the pieces in evenly throughout the pot. Top with salmon fillets and broccoli florets.
- Close the lid and cook at regular rice settings.
- While the rice is cooking, make the Nuoc Cham Sauce. In a separate bowl, combine fish sauce, lime juice, vinegar, water, sugar, minced garlic, and chillies. Adjust sweetness and spiciness to taste.
- Once the rice cooker is done, open the lid. Pour in just half of the Nuoc Cham sauce, and save the other half to serve on the side. Break the salmon with a rice paddle, and stir through to combine with the rice and Nuoc Cham.
- Sprinkle fresh cilantro. Serve with the remaining Nuoc Cham sauce on the side.
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