Sayadieh 🐟 spiced fish & rice 🇱🇧

Description

Fragrant basmati cooked in onion-stock with warm spices, topped with flaky seared white fish and caramelized onions, pine nuts, and lemon. ✨

Hook
Toast spices in onion butter, cook rice in that liquid gold, then crown with fish—every grain tastes like the sea. 🔥

Ingredients

• Rice & onions
• 🧅 Yellow onions, thinly sliced: 500 g (4 cups / 1.1 lb)
• 🫒 Olive oil or butter: 30 ml (2 tbsp / 1 fl oz)
• 🌾 Basmati rice, rinsed until water runs clear, then soaked 15 min & drained: 320 g (1½ cups / 11.3 oz)
• 💧 Water or light fish stock (hot): 600 ml (2½ cups / 20 fl oz)
• 🌶️ Ground cumin: 3 g (1 tsp / 0.11 oz)
• 🌶️ Ground coriander: 3 g (1 tsp / 0.11 oz)
• 🌶️ Allspice or baharat: 1.5 g (½ tsp / 0.05 oz)
• 🌕 Turmeric: 1.5 g (½ tsp / 0.05 oz)
• 🧂 Fine salt: 7 g (1¼ tsp / 0.25 oz)
• Fish
• 🐟 Firm white fish fillets (cod/haddock/sea bass): 600–700 g (1.3–1.5 lb), 2–3 cm (¾–1¼ in) thick
• 🫒 Olive oil: 30 ml (2 tbsp / 1 fl oz)
• 🧂 Salt & black pepper: to taste
• 🌶️ Optional: ¼ tsp baharat or allspice
• To finish
• 🌲 Toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds: 30 g (¼ cup / 1 oz)
• 🍋 Lemon wedges & chopped parsley

Preparation

1. 1️⃣ Caramelize the onions
2. Use a 30 cm (12 in) sauté pan. Add oil/butter and heat over medium until shimmering, about 160–170°C (320–338°F) surface temp. Add onions + a pinch of salt. Cook 18–22 min, stirring every 2–3 min, until deep golden. If fond gets too dark, deglaze with 1–2 tbsp hot water. Reserve ⅓ for topping; keep the rest in the pan.
3. 2️⃣ Toast spices
4. Lower heat to medium-low. Stir in cumin, coriander, allspice, and turmeric; toast 30–45 sec until fragrant (do not let the spices burn).
5. 3️⃣ Coat the rice
6. Add rinsed, drained (soaked) basmati. Stir 1–2 min until grains are glossy and edges look slightly translucent.
7. 4️⃣ Build the onion stock & cook the rice
8. Pour in 600 ml hot stock/water and add 7 g salt. Bring to a gentle boil, then cover tightly, reduce to low (aim for tiny steam puffs, no bubbling). Cook 12–14 min until liquid is absorbed and small steam holes appear.
9. 5️⃣ Steam off heat
10. Turn off heat, keep covered 10 min. Fluff gently with a fork; keep warm.
11. 6️⃣ Cook the fish — pan-sear method
12. Pat fillets dry; season with salt, pepper (and baharat if using). Heat a 28–30 cm (11–12 in) nonstick or stainless skillet over medium-high; add oil and heat until shimmering, about 190–200°C (375–392°F). Sear fish 2–3 min per side (thick pieces may need +1 min) until just flaky and internal temp reaches 60°C (140°F). Rest 2 min.
13. Oven alternative: Brush with oil, season, and bake on a lined tray at 200°C (400°F) for 8–10 min (to 60°C / 140°F internal).
14. 7️⃣ Serve
15. Mound rice on a warm platter. Top with fish, the reserved caramelized onions, nuts, parsley, and lemon wedges. Spoon any pan juices over.

Total Time

⏱️ Prep: 15 min

🍳 Cooking: 35 min

😌 Rest/Steam: 10 min

🕒 Total: 60 min

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