Sayadieh (Lebanese Fisherman's Rice with Caramelised Onions)
صیادیہ (لبنانی مچھیروں کے چاول، کیریمل پیاز کے ساتھ)
Sayadieh means "the fisherman's catch", and it's the classic fish and rice of coastal Lebanon and Syria, especially the port cities of Tripoli and Beirut. Its secret is onions cooked very slowly until deeply caramelised, which give the rice a rich brown colour and a sweet, savoury depth. White fish is fried and laid on top, with toasted nuts and a tangy tahini sauce. It's a good introduction to how much flavour Levantine cooks get from a few simple ingredients.
- ⏱ Total: 1 hr 30 min
- Prep: 20 min
- Cook: 1 hr 10 min
- Medium
- Serves 4
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Season the fish with salt, pepper and 1 tsp cumin, dust with flour and fry in 3 tbsp oil for 3–4 minutes a side until golden. Set aside.
In the same pan add the remaining oil and the onions. Cook on medium-low heat for 25–30 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are deep brown but not burnt.
Blend half the onions with the hot stock until smooth. Pour into a pot with the spices and salt, add the drained rice, bring to a boil, then cover and cook on the lowest heat for 20 minutes.
Whisk the tahini with the lemon juice, a pinch of salt and 3–4 tbsp water into a pourable sauce. Serve the rice topped with the fish, the remaining onions and the toasted nuts, with the sauce on the side.
Kitchen notes
Take your time with the onions; their deep brown colour is what flavours and colours the rice.
Any firm white fish works. In South Asia, rohu, surmai or pomfret fillets are good choices.
Simmer fish bones with an onion and bay leaf for 20 minutes to make a quick stock.
The fisherman’s rice
Along the eastern Mediterranean, from Tripoli in Lebanon to Latakia in Syria, sayadieh is the dish fishing families made with the day’s catch. Fish heads and bones went into the stock, the fillets were fried, and rice soaked up all the flavour. Today it’s served in seaside restaurants and homes alike.
The power of onions
Unusually, the rice gets its colour not from spices or tomato but from onions caramelised slowly until deep brown, then blended into the cooking liquid. The result is rich, sweet and savoury, with a gentle warmth from cumin and cinnamon.
Tahini sauce
A simple sauce of tahini, lemon juice and water (tarator), sometimes with garlic, is served alongside to drizzle over the fish. Its tang balances the sweet onions.
Choosing fish
Any firm white fish that holds together when fried works well: cod, haddock, sea bass or sea bream in Europe, snapper or tilapia elsewhere, and rohu, surmai or pomfret in South Asia. Fillets are easiest, but traditional cooks often use whole small fish and pick the flesh off at the table.
Serving
Serve with the tahini sauce, lemon wedges and a fresh fattoush or tabbouleh.
Questions people ask
Can I bake the fish instead of frying?
Yes. Brush with oil and bake at 200°C for 12–15 minutes.
What is tarator sauce?
The tahini, lemon and garlic sauce served with fish across the Levant; this recipe uses a simple version.
Can I use prawns?
Yes. Sauté prawns for 2–3 minutes and add them on top instead of fish.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 640
- Protein
- 36 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
