Sayadieh Aqabawiya (Red Sea Aqaba Caramelized-Onion Spiced Rice with Crispy Fish & Tahini) – Authentic Jordan Recipe
From Jordan’s Red Sea port of Aqaba: rice tinted mahogany with sweet caramelized onions and cumin under crispy fish.
- Country of Origin
- 🇯🇴 Jordan (Middle East, Asia)
- Dietary Profile
- pescatarian
- Prep Time
- 15 min
- Cook Time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Signature Staples
- Crisp-seared white grouper or sea bass fillets, Dark-caramelized onion spiced rice, Toasted almonds and lemon-tahini sauce, Ground cumin, Coriander
Ingredients for Sayadieh Aqabawiya (Red Sea Aqaba Caramelized-Onion Spiced Rice with Crispy Fish & Tahini) (4 Servings)
- 1.25 lbs (or 2.5 cups) crisp-seared white grouper or sea bass fillets, prepped into bite-sized pieces
- 1.5 cups dark-caramelized onion spiced rice, washed and trimmed
- 1 cup toasted almonds and lemon-tahini sauce
- 1 medium onion and 3 cloves garlic, finely minced with ground cumin
- 1.5 tbsp traditional Jordan seasoning (coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, garlic)
- 2.5 cups rich culinary stock or aromatic cooking liquid, plus 2 tbsp cooking oil
Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions
- Heat oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet over medium heat; sauté the onion, garlic, and ground cumin until golden.
- Add coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, garlic along with crisp-seared white grouper or sea bass fillets and dark-caramelized onion spiced rice, searing for 4–5 minutes to build savory depth.
- Stir in the rinsed grains/rice so every grain is coated in the spiced oil, then pour in warm stock.
- Bring to a simmer, cover tightly with a lid, and cook on low heat for 18–20 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and tender.
- Rest off the heat for 5 minutes, fluff gently with a fork, and garnish with toasted almonds and lemon-tahini sauce.