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Kuwaiti Mutabbaq Samak: Spiced Fish and Rice

By GulfSpoon Editorial Team|Updated: October 18, 2024
Kuwaiti Mutabbaq Samak — whole fried fish atop dill-flecked spiced yellow rice
Prep 20 mins
Cook 40 mins
Total 1 hr
Servings 4
Difficulty Medium
Cuisine Kuwaiti

Kuwaiti-style spiced fish served over fragrant rice with caramelized onions and a hint of cardamom.

Mutabbaq Samak

Scale:

Ingredients

  • 1 large whole fish (zubaidi or sea bream) (cleaned and scored)
  • 2 cups basmati rice
  • 2 large onions, sliced
  • 1 1/2 tbsp baharat spice blend
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 cup fresh dill
  • oil for frying (enough to shallow fry)

Instructions

  1. 1

    Season fish with baharat, turmeric, and salt. Set aside.

  2. 2

    Fry sliced onions until deeply golden and caramelized. Remove half for garnish.

  3. 3

    Add rice to the remaining onions, toast briefly, then add 4 cups of water. Season and cook until rice is tender.

  4. 4

    Shallow fry the fish until golden and cooked through.

  5. 5

    Serve rice on a platter topped with the fish, caramelized onions, and fresh dill.

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