About this recipe

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Recipe highlight

Why you’ll love it

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) dairy
• 🌾 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) seafood
• 🌶️ 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 seafood
• 🐟 Firm white fish fillets (cod/haddock/sea bass): 600–700 g (1.3–1.5 lb), 2–3 cm (¾–1¼ in) thick seafood
• 🫒 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) nuts
• 🍋 Lemon wedges & chopped parsley

Preparation

• 1 Caramelize the onions 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.
• 2 Toast spices Lower heat to medium-low. Stir in cumin, coriander, allspice, and turmeric; toast 30–45 sec until fragrant (do not let the spices burn).
• 3 Coat the rice Add rinsed, drained (soaked) basmati. Stir 1–2 min until grains are glossy and edges look slightly translucent.
• 4 Build the onion stock & cook the rice 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.
• 5 Steam off heat Turn off heat, keep covered 10 min. Fluff gently with a fork; keep warm.
• 6 Cook the fish — pan-sear method 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. 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).
• 7 Serve Mound rice on a warm platter. Top with fish, the reserved caramelized onions, nuts, parsley, and lemon wedges. Spoon any pan juices over.

Timing details

Nutrition

Estimated values per serving.

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