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1
In a large saucepan, fry the onions in 2 or 3 tablespoons oil over very low heat, with the lid on, until soft and transparent but still white, stirring occasionally.
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2
Let them get dark brown if you want a brown sayyadiah.
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3
Add about 5 cups water and simmer until the onions have nearly melted.
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4
You can leave the onions as they are, or blend them to a pulp with some of the liquid.
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5
Return them to the pan, and season with salt and cumin or allspice.
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6
Add the fish and simmer for about 48 minutes, until cooked but still firm.
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7
Skim off the scum as it rises to the surface.
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8
Remove the fish and keep hot.
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9
Retain about 4 cups of the onion stock to cook the rice in.
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10
Pour the remaining stock into another pan and add lemon juice to taste, to make a sauce.
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11
Throw the washed and drained rice into the first portion of boiling stock.
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12
Let it boil vigorously for a minute, then reduce the heat, cover the pan, and simmer gently, undisturbed, until the rice is tender, about 1520 minutes.
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13
Just before serving, reheat the fish in the sauce.
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14
Serve the rice heaped in a mound on a large serving dish.
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15
Arrange the pieces of fish over or around it, and pour the hot, lemony sauce over the whole dish.
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16
For an elegant presentation, press the fish, then the rice over it, into an oiled mold.
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17
Heat through in the oven before turning out carefully.
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18
Garnish with 1/21 cup lightly fried pine nuts and/or split blanched almonds.
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19
Here is an Egyptian version.
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20
Color and soften the onions, then fry the fish briefly with the onions so that it is still uncooked inside.
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21
Make a stock with the bones, head, and trimmings of the fish, simmered with 1 stalk celery, 1 onion, and 1 carrot.
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22
Strain through a fine sieve.
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23
Cook the rice as above, in 1 1/2 times its own volume of stock.
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24
Mix the cooked rice with the fish and onions in a baking dish.
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25
Garnish with lightly fried pine nuts and moisten with a little of the stock, considerably reduced.
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26
Bake in a preheated 300F oven for 1520 minutes.
