Sayadieh | Lebanese Fish and Rice with Caramelized Onions

Thinly slice the onions. Heat the olive oil in a wide pot and cook the onions over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. They will turn translucent during the first 10 minutes, then golden, and finally deep brown. Stop just before they burn: the edges should be dark but not black, since burnt onions will make all the rice bitter.

Take about two-thirds of the caramelized onions and blend them with 300 ml hot water, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve. You should have a deep brown liquid. Set the remaining onions aside for the top of the rice, and discard the pulp in the sieve.

Dredge the fish pieces in flour and shake off the excess. Heat the oil to 180°C / 355°F; a pinch of flour should sizzle immediately but not violently. Fry the fish in batches for 3–4 minutes, until golden on both sides, then transfer to a wire rack.

Rinse and drain the rice. Add it to the pot with the strained onion liquid, the remaining 500 ml water, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, cumin, allspice, and salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and cook over the lowest heat. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. The rice should be deep brown and fluffy, with separate grains.

Toast the pine nuts and almonds in a dry skillet until golden. Whisk the tahini with the garlic, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt; it will first thicken and clump, then loosen and turn creamy as you gradually add cold water. Stop when it runs slowly off a spoon.

Spread the rice on a large platter. Top with the reserved caramelized onions and fried fish. Sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts, almonds, and chopped parsley. Serve the tahini sauce and lemon wedges in separate bowls on the side; do not pour the sauce over the rice—spoon a little onto each bite.