Samak Meshwi

Description
This simplified fish dish is made, mixed, and packed with real fruit juice, herbs, and spices, is fried to a soothing crisp, and is great for any seafood and other main dishes, as it keeps a white-hot, steamy aroma with the fish. Salmon and a lemon-herb marinade sometimes work for this too.

Ingredients

 * 500 g. halibut swordfish, or tuna, cut into 5 cm (2-inch) cubes
 * juice of 2 lemons
 * 3 tablespoons onion, grated
 * 1 tablespoon olive oil
 * pinch of black pepper
 * 1 teaspoon ground cumin
 * 1 teaspoon salt
 * lemon wedges
 * handful dry bay leaves

Directions

 * 1) Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium frying pan, crush the vermicelli by hand but have the halibut and the grated onion ready to cook, and fry over medium heat for 1 or 2 minutes.
 * 2) When vermicelli and halibut become brownish, add 150 ml. (¼ pint) water, cover the pan, and simmer for 2 minutes. Set aside in a pan.
 * 3) Wash rice, drain, and place in a medium saucepan. Add 400 ml. (14 fl oz) of boiling water, olive oil, salt, black pepper, cumin, and dry bay leaves and cover the pan.
 * 4) Boil for 10 minutes, until water has evaporated.
 * 5) Add the juice of lemon, cooked vermicelli, and halibut to the rice by folding in gently but cover and simmer for 10 minutes on very low heat. Serve hot and plain or with any seafood but garnish with the lemon wedges.