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Sayadieh recipe

Sayadieh (Lebanese Fish and Rice)

Delicious, spiced rice cooked in a caramelized onion sauce, topped with pan-seared white fish, toasted pine nuts, and fresh parsley.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: lebanese
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the onions and rice:
  • 2 –3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
  • 3 –4 large onions thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 cups water divided
  • 1 heaped tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 cups basmati rice soaked for 20 minutes and rinsed until the water runs clear
For the fish:
  • 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
  • 1.5 lb 700g white fish fillets — cod, snapper, halibut, or hammour — skin removed, cut into 5–7 large pieces
  • 1 teaspoon cumin powder
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • Large pinch each of salt and black pepper
To garnish:
  • Toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds
  • Generous handful of fresh parsley roughly chopped
  • Reserved caramelized onions
To serve:
  • Tahini sauce 2 tablespoons tahini, juice of ½ lemon, salt, water to thin
  • Lemon wedges

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Rub the flour and butter together until crumbly, then mix in the eggs, milk, sugar, baking powder, vanilla, lemon zest, and salt to form a smooth dough.
  3. Wrap and chill the dough for 30 minutes.
  4. Divide the dough, roll into ropes, and shape into knots.
  5. Bake for 10–15 minutes until lightly golden, then cool completely on a wire rack.
  6. Mix powdered sugar and lemon juice to make the icing.
  7. Dip the cooled cookies in the icing, add sprinkles if desired, and let set before serving.

Notes

Do not lift the lid during the resting period after cooking. The steam trapped inside the pot is what finishes the rice and gives it that light, fluffy texture.
The caramelized onions can be made up to two days ahead and stored in the fridge, which makes this dish come together even faster on the day.
For a richer result, use fish stock in place of water — even a good quality store-bought stock makes a noticeable difference.