Sayyadeyya Glazed Stone Bass: A Modern Twist on an Egyptian Classic

Sayyadeyya Glazed Stone Bass
by Chef Lara Khalifa

The word sayyadeyya literally means ‘fisherman’s feast,’ and this modern riff combines grilled and glazed fresh fish with a brown butter tahini sauce and a fresh fava bean salsa, all served on battaw, a bread with ancient Egyptian roots.


Scroll down to get the full recipe and to watch how it's made.

Battaw Bread

Ingredients:
200g all-purpose wheat flour
100g corn flour
0.5g salt
5g instant dry yeast
200g water
10g fenugreek oil

Method:
- In a mixing bowl, mix the wheat flour, corn flour and salt. Add the yeast to 100 g of water and leave for a minute. Add the yeast to the flour mixture and gradually add the rest of the water while kneading. Continue to knead for 5 minutes. Cover the dough with a damp piece of cloth and leave to rise for an hour or when it is double in size.
- Portion and roll the dough into 8 balls and assemble on a tray with corn flour sprinkled at the bottom. Cover and leave to rest for 15 minutes.
- Dust the bench top with corn flour and roll out the dough into thin circle sheets. Place the rolled-out dough in a heated pan and cook for 20 seconds on one side then flip to the other side and brush with fenugreek oil. Cook the other side for another 20 seconds then remove from the heat and cover.

Sayyadeyya Glaze

Ingredients:
10g sunflower oil
200g white onion
60g green bell pepper
80g carrot
80g tomato
Salt & black pepper to taste
10g garlic cloves
1g ground cumin
1g ground coriander
700g fish stock
3g xanthan gum

Method:
- Heat the sunflower oil in a stock pot then add the onions (cut in half) and leave to cook until charred.
- Add the green pepper, carrot and tomato and leave for 2-3 minutes until also charred. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the smashed garlic cloves with the coriander and dried cumin and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the fish stock and lower the heat.
- Leave the mixture to simmer until it reduces and thickens into a glaze.
- Add the xanthan gum and whisk well to incorporate.

Fava Bean Salad

Ingredients:
50g cooked fava beans
150g red bell pepper
5g red chilli pepper
10g red onion
3g garlic, minced
6g preserved lemon
0.5g dried cumin
7g sugar
Salt & black pepper to taste

Method:
- Grill the red bell and chilli peppers over an open flame until charred. Cover well and leave for 5 minutes.
- Peel the peppers and wash to remove excess charred skin. Dice finely along with the red onions.
- Peel the fava beans and mix them with the pepper and onion mix and the minced garlic.
- Blend the pickled lemon until smooth and add it to the salsa.
- Season with salt, black pepper, dried cumin, and sugar. Cover and allow to rest for 30 minutes.

Brown Butter Tahini

Ingredients:
25g butter
60g tahini paste
5g vinegar
2g garlic
40g water
0.5g dried cumin
3g lemon juice
Salt & black pepper to taste

Method:
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Continue to cook until browned, whisking continuously.
- Strain the browned butter to remove milk solids.
- Mix all remaining ingredients with the browned butter and blend well until smooth. Cover well.

Pickled Fennel Flower

Ingredients:
15g fresh fennel flowers
200g apple cider vinegar
40g sugar
1g salt

Method:
- Heat the apple cider vinegar with the sugar and salt until dissolved.
- Allow to cool, then add to the fresh fennel flowers in a sterilized jar.
- Cover well and leave for at least 3 days before serving.

Vine Leaf Powder

Ingredients:
50g vine leaves

Method:
- Preheat the oven to 70° C.
- Arrange the vine leaves on parchment paper and place them in the oven.
- Leave for 5-10 minutes or until dehydrated.
- Using a spice grinder, blend into a powder.

Grilled and Glazed Stone Bass

Ingredients:
200g stone bass fish fillet
20g sayyadeyya glaze
10g sunflower oil
Salt & black pepper to taste

Method:
- Season the stone bass fillets with salt and pepper and coat them in sunflower oil.
- Place on the grill, skin side down. Cook for 1 minute while glazing.
- Flip onto the other side and grill for more minute. Continue glazing the sides.
- Flip and glaze again until cooked.

To Serve:
- Arrange the fish on the battaw bread circles.
- Add fava bean salsa and brown butter tahini. - Sprinkle with the vine leaf powder and garnish with pickled fennel flower and serve.