Roasted Whole Sea Bass with Fried Onions Bowl

Name: Roasted Whole Sea Bass with Fried Onions Bowl
Cuisine: Egyptian
Ingredients: 1 large whole sea bass, cleaned; 1 teaspoon chili flakes; 1 teaspoon lemon zest; 1 lemon, sliced; Fresh dill; 2 tablespoons (28 g) butter or ghee; 2 tablespoons (28 g) butter or ghee; ⅓ cup (26 g) vermicelli noodles; 1 cup (195 g) white rice, rinsed and drained; 1¾ cups (425 ml) stock (or water); 1 onion, thinly sliced; 2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch; ½ cup (120 ml) frying oil (neutral, high smoke point oil); ½ cup (120 ml) frying oil (neutral, high smoke point oil); ½ cup (120 ml) frying oil (neutral, high smoke point oil); ½ cup (120 g) tahini paste (sesame seed paste), plus more as needed; ½ cup (120 g) tahini paste (sesame seed paste), plus more as needed; ¼ cup (60 ml) water, plus more as needed; 3 tomatoes, finely diced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; ½ teaspoon ground cumin; ¼ teaspoon salt, to taste; ¼ teaspoon pepper, to taste; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) white vinegar; 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice; 2 tablespoons (5 g) fresh parsley and cilantro leaves; 2 tablespoons (5 g) fresh parsley and cilantro leaves; 2 tablespoons (28 ml) olive oil; Green chilies, sliced; Lemon wedges

Preparation info

Makes
2
servings

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Mediterranean Bowls

By Mahy Elamin

Published 2026

About

This simple and humble feast feels like summer on the North Coast of Egypt. It’s tasty, rustic, and bold yet absolutely luscious. A whole sea bass is roasted with cumin, garlic, and lemon until tender. It’s served alongside vermicelli rice topped with fried onions and a garlic, tomato, and herb salad that adds earthy freshness. A generous drizzle of tahini with green chilies is the creamy, spicy, tangy finish, tying all the flavors together in a flavorful, homestyle Mediterranean bowl.

Ingredients

Africa
Egypt
Fish course
Pescatarian
Summer
Mediterranean

Ingredients

Method