Ruz bil Kusbur

Ruz owl bil kusbur is a fragrant Libyan dish made of rice cooked in a fish headstock. It's flavoured with parsley, chilli peppers, garlic, ginger, cumin, paprika, and black pepper, as well as oil, roasted coriander seeds, onions, tomatoes, and celery. Although the rice is sometimes served with bread, the dish is generally served with grilled, baked, or fried white fish fillets seasoned in garlic, cumin, spicy peppers, and lemon juice. It is suggested that you serve the dish with haraymi sauce and lemon wedges on the side to elevate it even further.

Ingredients:

Serves 4-6

• 3 cups short-grain rice washed and well-drained
• 6 cups hot fish stock (or 2 fish stock cubes dissolved in 6 cups hot water )
• 5 tb spoons corn oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery, 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion, 1/2 cup finely chopped tomatoes
• 1 finely chopped chili peppers
• 2-3 garlic cloves, grated
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger root
• 1-2 tablespoons pan-roasted coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon of each, cumin, black pepper, paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt Libyan Cumin and Garlic Marinated Fried Fish
• 6 White fish fillets (any kind) vegetable oil for deep frying
• 3-4 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 finely chopped chilli pepper (optional)
• Salt and Pepper
• Juice of half a lemon for fish coating
• 5 tb spoon white flour, 5 tb spoons fine breadcrumbs, 2-3 tb spoons water
• 2 eggs

Instruction:

1. Combine all the ingredients for the marinade, put in a food processor until it becomes a smooth paste, coat the fillets and set aside while you start cooking the rice.
2. Put the oil in a thick based pot, add the chopped ingredients, stir for a few minutes, and leave to cook on low heat until the onion softens.
3. Meanwhile roast the coriander in a frying pan, preferably just before adding. Some like to grind them first, but whole coriander seeds give a nutty texture to the dish.
4. Add the rice, the remaining spices, stir well and add the fish stock (or crumble stock cubes and add hot water). The stock should be about 2 fingers above the level of the rice. Leave on moderate heat until evaporated to just above the level of the rice, stir well, cover and leave on low heat for approx. (half an hour)
5. Meanwhile, start frying the fish. Whisk the egg with 3tbspoon water, dip each fillet first in the egg mix, then coat both sides with flour and breadcrumbs mix, then deep fry in batches until golden in colour, place on kitchen towel to absorb excess oil.
6. Put the rice on a serving plate, top with the fish fillets. Serve with haraymi sauce and lemon wedges