Authentic Black Sea Hamsi Pilavi (Turkish Anchovy Rice) Recipe

If you are looking for the ultimate centerpiece of Black Sea cuisine, this authentic hamsi pilavi recipe (Turkish Baked Anchovy Rice) is the absolute crown jewel.

Combining delicate, crispy fresh Black Sea anchovies on the outside with a fragrant, spiced rice filling on the inside, this iconic dish is a celebration of authentic Turkish seafood culture. The best part? You don’t need to travel to Trabzon to taste it—you can easily make this impressive dish in your UK kitchen using fresh Black Sea Anchovies from Seafood Xpress!

⏱️ Prep Time: 30 mins | 🍳 Cook Time: 30 mins | 🍽️ Servings: 4 | 📊 Difficulty: Medium

🛒 Ingredients

For the Fish Layer:

1 kg Fresh Black Sea Anchovies (Hamsi) from Seafood Xpress (deboned and butterflied)

2–3 tbsp Olive oil or butter (for greasing the pan)

2 tbsp Cornmeal or flour (optional, for dusting)

Salt and black pepper to taste

For the Aromatic Rice Filling (Ic Pilav):

1.5 cups Baldo or Jasmine rice (rinsed and drained)

1 large Yellow onion (finely chopped)

2 tbsp Butter + 2 tbsp Olive oil

2 tbsp Pine nuts (Dolmalık Fıstık) & 2 tbsp Currants (Kus uzumu)

1 tsp Allspice (Yenibahar), 1 tsp Cinnamon & 1 tsp Dried mint

2 cups Hot water or fish stock

Fresh dill and parsley (finely chopped)

🍳 Quick Step-by-Step

Prepare the Anchovies: Debone and butterfly your fresh anchovies by gently removing the spine while keeping fillets intact. Wash, pat dry, and season lightly with salt and pepper.

Cook the Spiced Rice: Melt butter and olive oil in a pan. Sauté onions and pine nuts until golden, add rice, then stir in currants and spices. Add 2 cups of hot water and simmer on low heat until absorbed (rice should remain slightly firm). Stir in fresh dill.

Assemble the Dish: Generously grease a round baking dish with butter. Arrange anchovies skin-side down starting from the center in a fan pattern with tails hanging over the edge. Spoon the rice filling evenly into the center, fold tails back over, and seal the top with remaining anchovies skin-side up.

Bake to Perfection: Drizzle a little olive oil over the top and bake in a preheated oven at 190°C (375°F) for 25–30 minutes until golden and crispy. Carefully flip onto a large serving plate!

🥗 Serving Suggestion

Serve your piping hot Hamsi Pilavi with crisp rocket (arugula) salad, red onion slices, and fresh lemon wedges for a complete, deeply satisfying Black Sea feast!

👉 [Order Fresh Black Sea Anchovies Now]

💡 Explore more anchovy recipes: Prefer a quicker, extra-crunchy dish for weeknights? Check out our lightning-fast Crispy Pan-Fried Hamsi Tava Recipe.

Want to try traditional Black Sea baking? Don't miss our delicious Authentic Hamsili Ekmek Recipe (Anchovy Cornbread)!