Koshari (Egyptian Lentils, Rice & Pasta with Spicy Tomato Sauce & Crispy Onions)

Photo: Dina Said · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Egypt's beloved national dish: a hearty heap of lentil rice, pasta and chickpeas under a tangy garlic-vinegar tomato sauce, crowned with a tangle of deep-fried crispy onions.

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown lentils, rinsed
• 2 cups rice
• 8 oz elbow macaroni
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and warmed
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 4 yellow onions, 3 thinly sliced, 1 diced
• 9 garlic cloves, minced

From your pantry: ½ cup neutral oil, ⅓ cup flour, ¼ cup white vinegar, 2 tsp cumin, 2 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp chili flakes or cayenne, 1 tsp sugar, salt, pepper.

Instructions

1. Toss the sliced onions with the flour and a pinch of salt. Fry in the oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat, in batches, stirring, until deep brown and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes a batch. Drain on paper towels and save the oil.
2. Simmer the lentils in 4 cups water for 15 minutes, until half cooked. Add the rinsed rice, 2 tbsp onion oil, 2 tsp salt and enough water to cover by ½ inch. Cover and cook on low until the rice and lentils are tender and the water absorbed, 18 to 20 minutes.
3. Boil the macaroni in salted water until tender, then drain.
4. For the sauce, cook the diced onion in 2 tbsp onion oil for 5 minutes, add two thirds of the garlic, half the cumin and coriander and the chili for 1 minute, then the tomatoes, sugar and 1 tsp salt. Simmer until thick, 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Stir the rest of the garlic, cumin and coriander into the vinegar with 3 tbsp water and a pinch of salt (this is the dakka). Stir half into the tomato sauce.
6. Pile rice-lentils, macaroni and chickpeas in bowls, ladle over the sauce, top with crispy onions and pass the rest of the garlic vinegar.

Tip: Fry the onions first: their oil flavors everything else. Cairo shops also add broken vermicelli to the rice and serve a fiery shatta (chili sauce) alongside.

Nutrition per serving

Good for

Adapted from The Matbakh.

You might also like

Ful Medames with Jammy Eggs & Warm Pita25 min · 585 kcal · 27 g proteinHawawshi (Egyptian Spiced Beef-Stuffed Crispy Pitas) with Tahini45 min · 685 kcal · 33 g proteinMolokhia (Egyptian Jute-Leaf & Garlic Stew) with Chicken & Rice80 min · 645 kcal · 47 g proteinGambari Iskandarani (Alexandrian Spiced Garlic-Butter Shrimp) with Rice & Tahini35 min · 695 kcal · 44 g proteinEgyptian Fattah (Beef over Crisp Pita & Rice with Garlic-Vinegar Tomato Sauce)150 min · 875 kcal · 41 g proteinCrispy Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tacos35 min · 700 kcal · 18 g proteinThree-Cheese Baked Ziti45 min · 675 kcal · 36 g proteinChana Masala35 min · 580 kcal · 17 g protein