Ingredients

• Dry Ingredients
• 8 oz Ditalini dry; or elbow noodles
• 1 ½ cups Medium grain white rice dry
• 2 15 oz Chickpeas drained and rinsed
• Onion
• 2 Yellow onions sliced thinly
• Sunflower oil for frying
• 2 tbsp Sunflower oil(reserved from frying the onions
• Lentils
• 1 ¼ cup Dried brown lentils rinsed
• 4 cups Water
• 2 tbsp Sunflower oil reserved from frying the onions
• Cumin Sauce
• 1 tsp Crushed garlic
• ½ tbsp Ground cumin
• ⅓ cup Boiling Water
• 3 tbsp White vinegar
• ½ tsp Salt
• Tomato Sauce
• 2 cloves Garlic minced
• 1 15 oz Tomato sauce
• 1 6 oz Tomato paste
• 2 cups Water
• ¼ cup White vinegar
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp Sunflower oil reserved from frying the onions

Directions

• Dry Ingredient Instructions
• Cook 8 oz noodles according to the package instructions. Once cooked, set aside.
• Cook 1 1/2 cups rice according to the package instructions. One cooked, set aside.
• Onion Instructions
• Add about ½ inch sunflower oil to the bottom of a medium-sized pot. When the oil reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit, you can begin frying.
• Add 2 onions thinly sliced to the oil and fry the onions for about 7-10 minutes, until they get smaller and then begin to brown. Stir occasionally to make sure they cook evenly.
• Once the onions have browned, remove them to a paper towel lined plate to drain off any excess oil.
• Reserve the excess oil for the remainder of the steps.
• Lentil Instructions
• In a medium pot over medium heat add the 2 tbsp oil until warmed, then add the soaked and drained 1 1/4 cups lentils. Stir over the heat for about 2 minutes.
• Add 4 cups water into the pot and bring it to a boil.
• Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 17-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook the lentils until they are tender but not mushy.
• Drain any remaining water and set the lentils aside.
• Cumin Sauce Instructions
• In a small bowl or jar, add all of the cumin sauce ingredients. Whisk together until combined, then set aside.
• Allow to sit for 15 minutes.
• Tomato Sauce Instructions
• In a medium saucepan, add 2 tbsp oil until warmed through. Then add the 1 tsp garlic and saute until fragrant.
• Add the 15 oz tomato sauce, 6 oz tomato paste, 2 cups water,1/4 cup vinegar, and salt to taste.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Allow the sauce to simmer for 15 minutes. Then set aside.
• Assemble
• Assemble the koshari by layering the rice and lentils on the bottom, then top with cooked pasta, chickpeas, and fried onion. Then drizzle the entire plate with the cumin sauce and tomato sauce
• You can really blow your guests away by stacking the ingredients into a tower. To do so, use a small bowl. In the bowl, layer the fried onions, chickpeas, pasta, then rice and lentils, in that order. Flip the bowl over onto a plate, allowing the koshari to release itself from the sides. Lift away the bowl and drizzle with the tomato sauce and cumin sauce.

Notes

• Koshari is an Egyptian comfort food dish that is so flavorful and delicious it has been named the national dish of Egypt. Layered rice, lentils, pasta, chickpeas and sauces, all topped with crispy fried onions make this vegan Mediterranean dish irresistible!
• Koshari is an Egyptian dish full of culture and flavor. It’s a perfect combination of ingredients that have traveled to Egypt over the years, all brought together in one delicious, hearty, vegan meal.
• It may also be a dish that at first glance doesn’t get the credit it deserves. It’s built using such simple pantry staples that it may be easy to underestimate it. The base is layers of rice, lentils, chickpeas and pasta.
• However, it’s the sauces that really make this Egyptian street food amazing. Lots of spicy tomato sauce and the fried crispy onions on top make it perfection.
• Like most dishes from around the world, the spelling may vary from one source to the next. It is sometimes called Koshari, kushari or koshary. Kushary means “blended” in Arabic, while “kosheri” means to mix things together in Greek. Both make sense for this perfectly layered dish.
• While this Egyptian Koshari Recipe is made up of simple ingredients, it may take some time to put together as each ingredient is cooked up separately. It’s a great meal to make to use up leftover pasta, rice, lentils or chickpeas.
• Even if you’re starting from scratch, each ingredient is simple to cook and the end result is worth it! You will end up with a lunch or dinner that is filling and makes you savor every bite.
• Koshari is Egypt’s national dish, made up of flavorful lentils, rice, pasta and chickpeas bound together with a tomato sauce and cumin sauce and topped with fried onions. It’s a perfect melting pot of the various cultures that have passed through Egypt.
• The origin of the dish actually comes from India. It’s based on a dish called Khichri/Khichdi. This variation of the dish is a rice and lentil dish associated with good fortune. It was brought to Egypt by the Indian soldiers who had joined British troops in the early 1900s after World War I.
• Egyptians put their own twist on the dish, adding chickpeas, crispy thin fried onion rings and extra spices. The pasta may have been added by Italians who had made their way to Egypt
• Koshari became widely available from street vendors who still sell the dish today, and eventually made its way into restaurants. Its name comes from the ancient Egyptian word “Koshir” from the Egyptian Book of Genesis, meaning “food of the rites of the gods”.
• The simple ingredients make the dish inexpensive to make and all the carbohydrates and protein make it very filling too. This delicious vegetarian meal is easy to make at home with some pantry staples and a dash of spices. The combination of textures and flavors will leave you feeling full and satisfied.
• Serving Koshari
• Koshari, a popular Egyptian dish, is typically served:
• Warm or hot: Straight from the cooking pot or shortly after preparation.
• Freshly made: When the pasta, lentils, tomato sauce, and other components are still warm.
• Best Experience:
• Serving Koshari warm allows the flavors to meld together and the textures to complement each other. It's often served as a comforting, satisfying meal.

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