Egyptian Koshari

A blend of textures where crispy fried onions crunch over a bed of tender rice and lentils. The garlic and vinegar tomato sauce binds everything with a sharp acidity and a hint of chili.

• Prep time: 30 min
• Cook time: 60 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 896
• Protein: 26 g
• Carbs: 121 g
• Fat: 31 g

Ingredients

• 200 g White rice ( rinsed )
• 150 g Dried pasta ( small macaroni )
• 200 g Chickpea ( cooked and drained )
• 3 piece Yellow onion ( thinly sliced )
• 500 g Round tomato ( pureed )
• 4 piece Garlic ( minced )
• 100 ml Sunflower oil ( for frying )
• 3 tbsp Red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp Cumin ground
• 1 tsp Coriander seeds ( ground )
• 1 pinch Hot pepper en poudre optional
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 150 g Brown lentils ( rinsed and drained )
• 50 g Wheat vermicelli ( broken )

Instructions

1. Fry the onions

   Thinly slice the onions. Fry them in sunflower oil until they reach a deep brown color and become very crispy. Drain on paper towels; they will harden as they cool.

2. Prepare the rice-lentil base

   In a pot, sauté the vermicelli in some of the onion oil. Add the rinsed rice and brown lentils. Cover with water, salt, and cook on low heat until water is absorbed and grains are tender yet intact.

3. Cook the pasta

   Cook the dry pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain and toss with a spoonful of the onion oil to prevent sticking.

4. Make the tomato sauce

   Sauté the minced garlic. Add the pureed tomatoes, cumin, coriander, and chili. Let reduce until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Add the vinegar at the end to maintain the sharp acidity.

5. Assembly

   Layer the rice-lentil mix, top with pasta, then chickpeas. Pour the tomato sauce generously over it and finish with a heap of fried onions.

Chef's tips

• Use the onion frying oil to cook the rice and pasta; it's the key to the flavor.
• The onions should be a very deep brown, almost burnt, to achieve that typical sweet bitterness.

Storage

Store components separately in the fridge. Keep fried onions in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain their crunch.