# Egyptian Sayadeya: Fish with Deep-Brown Rice

> Sayadeya rice takes its brown colour from onions fried almost to the point of burning, then strained and their stock added to the rice. The fish is fried separately and placed on top at serving so it doesn't break up.

**Egyptian Cuisine · 85 min · 5 servings · 560 kcal per serving**

Sayadeya is the food of the Egyptian coast, and its deep brown colour comes from neither sauce nor spice — it comes from onions taken as far as they'll go before burning. That single step defines the dish.

## Ingredients

- 1 kg — tilapia or mullet, cut into pieces
- 3 cups — Egyptian short-grain rice
- 4 large — onions, sliced
- 1 tbsp — cumin
- 1 tsp — ground coriander + black pepper
- 4 cloves — garlic
- 1 lemon — juice of
- ½ cup — oil

## Method

1. **Season the fish** — Rub the fish with the cumin, garlic, lemon juice and salt, and leave it half an hour.
2. **Caramelise the onions** — Fry the sliced onion in the oil over medium heat for twenty-five minutes until very deep brown — close to burning, but not black. This is the source of both colour and flavour.
3. **The onion stock** — Add five cups of hot water to the onions and boil for ten minutes, then strain the stock, mashing the onion through it.
4. **The rice** — Toast the rinsed rice in two spoons of oil, then pour over four and a half cups of the onion stock with salt and coriander. Cover and cook on low heat for twenty minutes.
5. **Fry the fish** — Fry the fish in hot oil until golden on both sides, and serve it on top of the rice with tahini and salad.

## Tips

- The onions must reach deep brown — stop early and the rice comes out pale and flavourless.
- Always fry the fish separately; cooked with the rice, it falls apart.
- Strain the onion stock well so the rice comes out clean.

## FAQ

### My rice came out pale, not brown.
The onions weren't taken far enough. They need at least twenty-five minutes, right to the edge of burning.

### Which fish is best?
Tilapia and mullet are the most common. Any firm fish works; avoid soft fish that flakes apart.

### Can I make it without fish?
Yes — sayadeya rice is a complete dish on its own and goes with any protein.

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Source: https://hanakoleah.com/en/egyptian-cuisine/egyptian-sayadeya-fish-and-rice-recipe
Edited by: Marwa Mohamed
Last updated: 2026-09-14