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Sayadieh libanais

Name: Sayadieh libanais
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: LB
Ingredients: 500 g fish bones and head (ask your fishmonger); 2 onions, halved, for the stock; 2 bay leaves; 1 tsp whole black peppercorns; 1.5 litres water; 1 kg firm white fish fillets (grouper, sea bass or hake), cut into 6 portions; 1 tsp salt, for the fish; 1/2 tsp black pepper, for the fish; 60 g all-purpose flour, for dusting; 120 ml vegetable oil, for frying; 4 large onions, thinly sliced, for caramelizing; 60 ml olive oil, for the onions; 1/2 tsp salt, for the onions; 400 g basmati rice, rinsed and soaked 20 minutes; 2 tbsp olive oil, for the rice; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1/2 tsp ground coriander; 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon; to taste salt, for the rice; 800 ml strained fish stock (from above); 120 g tahini (sesame paste); 60 ml lemon juice; 1 clove garlic, crushed; 60–90 ml water, for the sauce; to taste salt, for the sauce; 50 g pine nuts, toasted; to serve lemon wedges

30m

Prépa

70m

Cuisson

Portions

Moyen

Difficulté

Poisson frit doré servi sur un riz au cumin cuit dans son bouillon, avec oignons caramélisés et pignons grillés.

#lebanese#fish#rice#seafood#tripoli#cumin#caramelized-onion#mediterranean

Portions

6portions

Ingrédients

Nutrition

calories540

protein34g

carbs52g

fat22g

fiber3g

Par portion

Étapes

Make the fish stock

Put the fish bones and head, halved onions, bay leaves, peppercorns and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered. Strain through a fine sieve, discard the solids, and keep 800 ml of the clear stock for the rice.

500 g fish bones and head
2 onions
2 bay leaves
1 tsp black peppercorns
1.5 litres water

✅ C'est prêt quand : the stock is fragrant and golden, and has reduced slightly

⏱30:00

Fry the fish

Pat the fish portions dry, season with salt and pepper, then dust lightly in flour, shaking off the excess (a thin, even coat gives the crispest crust without a thick batter). Heat the vegetable oil in a wide pan until shimmering, and fry the fish in batches until deep golden on both sides and cooked through to the center. Drain on paper towel.

1 kg fish fillets
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
60 g flour
120 ml vegetable oil

✅ C'est prêt quand : the crust is deep golden and the fish flakes easily and is opaque all the way through, with an internal temperature of at least 63°C (145°F)

⏱8:00

Caramelize the onions

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Cook the rice

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Whisk the tahini sauce

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Assemble and serve

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Make the fish stock

500 g fish bones and head
2 onions
2 bay leaves
1 tsp black peppercorns
1.5 litres water

✅ C'est prêt quand : the stock is fragrant and golden, and has reduced slightly

⏱30:00

Fry the fish

1 kg fish fillets
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
60 g flour
120 ml vegetable oil

✅ C'est prêt quand : the crust is deep golden and the fish flakes easily and is opaque all the way through, with an internal temperature of at least 63°C (145°F)

⏱8:00

Caramelize the onions

This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.

Cook the rice

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Whisk the tahini sauce

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Assemble and serve

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History & Culture

The Story Behind the Dish

📍 Tripoli, Lebanon📅 Traditional, generations old🐟 LB

Sayadieh — literally "the fisherman's dish" — comes from Lebanon's northern coast, especially Tripoli, where fishing families turned the day's catch into a one-platter meal that used everything: the bones and heads became stock, and the flesh was fried and set over rice cooked in that same stock. The slow, deeply caramelized onions, cooked almost to the point of melting, are what give the rice its sweetness and dark golden color.

It has long been a dish for gatherings and Fridays by the sea, served on large shared platters with lemon and a tahini or hot sauce on the side.

⭐ Why It's Famous

It turns a humble catch into something generous and fragrant, built entirely on technique: a well-made stock, patiently caramelized onions, and rice that takes on the flavor of both.