1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
1 ½ tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
Finely grated zest of 1 lime
Juice of ½ lime
2 skinless salmon fillets, 6 to 8 ounces each, at or near room temperature
Whisk together the oil, brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, ginger, lime zest and juice. Pour into a large skillet and cook over medium heat until the sauce starts to simmer. Turn the heat down to medium low.
Add the salmon, cover the skillet, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the fillets over and cook (covered) another 4 to 5 minutes, or until done.
Carefully lift the salmon fillets onto a serving platter, flipping them over so the browned caramelized side is facing up.
Continue cooking the sauce until it is thick and syrupy, about 3 minutes. Spoon the sauce over the salmon and serve.
Note: If the heat is too high and/or the salmon is too cold when you add it to the pan, the sauce may crystalize and become hard and black. So after adding the salmon to the pan, check on it a few times while cooking. The sauce should slowly become brown but not black. If needed, adjust the heat.