koshari
Next Dish: Ba Wan
Koshari is a popular traditional Egyptian dish, considered the national dish of the country. It is a vegetarian meal made of rice, macaroni, and lentils mixed together, topped with a spiced tomato sauce, garlic vinegar and garnished with chickpeas and crispy fried onions. Koshari was originally sold on food carts in its early years in the mid 19th century. Today, it is widely available in Egyptian restaurants and street food venues.
Recipe
Ingredients:
1 cup of lentils
2 cups of rice
1 cup of pasta
2 large onions
1 can of chickpeas
1 can of tomato sauce
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 teaspoon of coriander
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon of vinegar
4 cups of vegetable oil
2 cloves of garlic
Instructions:
Rinse the lentils and put them in a pot with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer until lentils are tender.
In another pot, cook the rice according to the package instructions.
Cook the pasta in a pot of boiling water until it is al dente. Drain and set aside.
Dice the onions and fry them in 2 cups of oil until they are crispy and brown. Remove half of the onions and set them aside for garnish.
In the same pot with the remaining onions, add the chickpeas, tomato sauce, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, and vinegar. Let this mixture simmer for about 10 minutes.
Crush the garlic and fry it in 2 cups of oil until it is golden brown. Add this to the tomato sauce mixture.
Combine the lentils, rice, and pasta in a large bowl. Pour the tomato sauce mixture over it and mix well.
Serve the koshari hot, garnished with the fried onions.