Koshari
A beloved Egyptian street food consisting of layered rice, lentils, and pasta topped with spiced tomato sauce, crispy onions, and tangy garlic vinegar sauce - a hearty, flavorful vegetarian dish.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups medium-grain white rice, rinsed
- 1 cup brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
- 2 cups elbow macaroni
- 1 cup spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces
- 3 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 6 ripe tomatoes, diced
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 6 cloves garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1 can canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
-
1
For the crispy onions: Heat 1 cup vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry half of the sliced 3 medium thinly sliced yellow onions until deep golden brown and crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with to taste salt.
-
2
For the tomato sauce: In a saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat. Add the remaining sliced yellow onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add half of the 6 cloves minced garlic cloves and cook for another minute.
-
3
Add the 6 diced ripe tomatoes, 1/4 cup tomato paste, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, the 1 tsp ground coriander, and 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes. Season with salt and to taste black pepper. Add 1/2 cup water, bring to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. If needed, use an immersion blender to smooth the sauce.
-
4
For the garlic vinegar sauce (dakka): In a small bowl, mix together the remaining garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon 2 tsp ground cumin, 1/4 cup white vinegar, and a pinch of salt.
-
5
To cook the rice: In a medium saucepan, combine the 1 1/2 cups rinsed medium-grain white rice with 2 1/2 cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-18 minutes until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
-
6
To cook the lentils: In another medium saucepan, combine the 1 cup rinsed and picked over brown lentils with 3 cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 20-25 minutes until tender but not mushy. Drain any excess water.
-
7
To cook the pasta: In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the 2 cups elbow macaroni and 1 cup broken into 2-inch pieces spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
-
8
Heat the 1 can drained and rinsed canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans) in a small saucepan with a bit of water until warmed through.
-
9
To assemble the koshari: In a large serving dish, layer the medium-grain white rice, brown lentils, elbow macaroni, and spaghetti. Top with warmed canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans).
-
10
Spoon the tomato sauce over the top. Sprinkle with crispy onions and drizzle with garlic vinegar sauce.
-
11
Garnish with fresh 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately, offering extra tomato sauce and garlic vinegar sauce on the side.