Lebanese Sayadieh-Style Barramundi
Balances protein and fiber while limiting fat, sodium, and added sugar
- Milk
- Fish
- Tree Nuts
This Middle Eastern–style dish with roots in Lebanon and Syria starts with a bed of fluffy golden turmeric rice. It's topped with seared spiced barramundi fillets and a colorful jumble of cumin-spiked carrots and onion. Finish this homestyle plate with a shower of crunchy almonds and a drizzle of creamy lemon sauce with a hint of cinnamon.
Ingredients
1.5 tablespoon
Sour Cream
(Contains: Milk)
ounce
Carrot
1 unit
Onion
¾ cup
Jasmine Rice
2 teaspoon
Cumin
1 unit
Lemon
1 teaspoon
Turmeric
8 ounce
Asparagus
10 ounce
Barramundi
(Contains: Fish)
1 teaspoon
Cinnamon
¼ ounce
Cilantro
½ ounce
Sliced Almonds
(Contains: Tree Nuts)
Not included in your delivery
teaspoon (tsp)
Salt
1 tablespoon (tbsp)
Olive Oil
teaspoon (tsp)
Black Pepper
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add half the turmeric, ½ tsp cumin, and ¼ tsp cinnamon (1 tsp cumin and ½ tsp cinnamon for 4 servings). (You’ll use more of all the spices later.) Cook, stirring constantly, until spices are fragrant, 10-20 seconds.
Add rice, 1¼ cups water (2¼ cups for 4), and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until tender, 15-18 minutes.
Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.
While rice cooks, wash and dry produce.
Trim, peel, and cut carrots on a diagonal into ¼-inch-thick pieces. Place in a medium microwave-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave until slightly tender, 2-3 minutes (the carrots will finish cooking in the next step). (Careful when uncovering—steam will be released!)
Halve, peel, and cut onion into ¼-inch-thick strips. Quarter lemon. Roughly chop cilantro.
Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium-high heat. Add carrots and onion; season with 1 tsp cumin (2 tsp for 4 servings), salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4-5 minutes.
Turn off heat; transfer to a plate. Wipe out pan.
While veggies cook, pat barramundi* dry with paper towels. Season all over with remaining turmeric, remaining cumin, salt, and pepper.
Once veggies are done, heat a drizzle of olive oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add barramundi, skin sides down, and cook until skin is crispy, 4-5 minutes. Flip and cook until fish is opaque and cooked through, 1-2 minutes more.
While barramundi cooks, in a small bowl, combine sour cream, juice from half the lemon (whole lemon for 4 servings), a pinch of remaining cinnamon, salt, and pepper.
Fluff rice with a fork. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Divide rice between shallow bowls. Top with barramundi and carrot jumble in separate sections. Sprinkle with almonds and cilantro; drizzle everything with lemon sauce. Serve.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Sep 2026- Flavor: The spice blend — turmeric, cumin, and cinnamon — impressed fans of bold flavors, though some found the rice bland or the cinnamon too prominent; the tangy lemon cream sauce was a highlight for many.
- Ease of prep: Straightforward to cook, though a few noted it took closer to 40 minutes rather than the stated time.
- Suggestions: The barramundi skin tends to stick to the pan — use a well-oiled nonstick pan and let it cook undisturbed until it releases naturally. One reviewer had great results roasting both the potatoes and fish on a sheet pan together instead.
- Portions: Some felt the rice portion was generous but wished for a bit more fish or an additional vegetable on the side.
