Explore Guides
Local food map
Tripoli (Lebanon)
Hotels in area
Main course
Fish & Seafood
Food Flavour DNA
Nutritional Values
620kcal
36gProtein
72gCarbs
21gFat
5gFibre
400 gServing
* Per serving · 400 g. May vary.
Allergens
🐟 Fish
🌱 Sesame
Sayadieh
How to order / say it
Say it
صيادية طرابلسية — [sah-YAH-dee-eh]
Order
Please bring Tripoli-style sayadieh.
Locally
أحضروا لي صيادية طرابلسية، من فضلكم.
Say locally
Fragrant spiced rice layered with caramelized onions and tender coastal fish.
Why try it?
Tripoli’s sayadieh reflects the city’s long relationship with fishing, trade, and rice brought through its port. It is a generous family-table dish in which humble onions and fish become deeply aromatic and celebratory.
How it tastes
The rice is savory, lightly sweet from browned onions, and perfumed with cumin, cinnamon, and coriander. Flaky fish sits over the grains, often accompanied by tahini sauce and lemon.
Origin & History — first documented: 1850
Fish-and-rice preparations existed along the Levantine coast for centuries, but Tripoli’s version was shaped in port kitchens by at least the nineteenth century. Caramelized onions and local spice combinations gave the dish its dark, savory character. During the twentieth century it became a standard Sunday and festive meal in Tripoli homes and seafood eateries.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 🐟 500 g firm white fish
- 🌾 250 g long-grain rice
- 🧄 350 g yellow onions
- 🫒 60 ml olive oil
- 🥣 500 ml fish stock
- 🧂 4 g cumin
- 🧂 2 g cinnamon
- 🧂 4 g ground coriander
- 🥣 80 g tahini
- 🍋 40 ml lemon juice
Method
- 1 Brown sliced onions slowly in olive oil until deep golden, reserving some for garnish.
- 2 Season and pan-sear or roast the fish until flaky.
- 3 Toast the rice with the spices, add stock, and cook covered until tender.
- 4 Layer rice with the fish and onions, then serve with lemon and tahini.
More from Tripoli, North Lebanon
🌿
Dessert
Vegetarian
Mafroukeh
مفروكة طرابلسية
mah-FROO-keh
Toasted semolina and pistachio base layered with fragrant rose cream.
© Wikimedia Commons
Starter
Vegetarian
Makdous
مكدوس
mak-doos
Fermented baby eggplants stuffed with nuts and red pepper.
🌿
Dessert
Vegetarian
Nammoura
نمورة
na-moo-rah
Sweet semolina cake soaked in syrup.
Main course
Vegetarian
Fattat Batinjan
فتة باذنجان
fat-tat bat-in-jan
Layers of eggplant, toasted pita, and yogurt sauce.
© Wikimedia Commons
Dessert
Vegetarian
Znoud el-Sit
زنود الست
ZNOOD el-SIT
Crisp fried pastry rolls filled with ashta and soaked in floral syrup.
🌱
Street food
Vegan
Mshabbak
مشبك طرابلسي
mish-SHAB-bak
A bright orange spiral fritter fried crisp and soaked in scented syrup.
🐟
Main course
Fish & Seafood
Samke Harra
سمكة حرة طرابلسية
SAHM-keh HAH-reh
Roasted fish topped with a hot tahini, walnut, garlic, and herb sauce.