Sayadieh Saudi — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A fragrant Saudi coastal dish of spiced fish served on a bed of golden rice cooked with caramelized onions and a rich, aromatic fish stock infused with cumin and turmeric.

Ingredients

4 fish fillets (hammour or sea bass)
2 cups basmati rice
3 large onions, thinly sliced
3 cups fish stock
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp coriander
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

1 Deeply caramelize the sliced onions in oil over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes until dark golden brown, then remove half for garnish and blend the rest into the fish stock.
2 Season the fish fillets with cumin, turmeric, coriander, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, then pan-fry or bake until cooked through and flaky.
3 Toast the rice briefly in a tablespoon of oil, then add the onion-enriched fish stock and cook covered over low heat for 18 minutes until the rice is fluffy and golden.
4 Mound the golden rice on a serving platter, arrange the fish fillets on top, and garnish with the reserved caramelized onions, toasted pine nuts, and fresh parsley.

Did You Know?

Sayadieh means the fisherman's dish and is most popular along Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast, where the port city of Jeddah is renowned for its exceptional seafood preparations.