Egyptian Koshari
Egypt's national dish: a hearty, vegan comfort food made with rice, lentils, pasta, topped with a spiced tomato sauce and crispy onions.
Ingredients
Base
- 1 cup brown lentils
- 1 cup medium-grain rice
- 1 cup macaroni pasta
- 1 cup vermicelli noodles
Tomato Sauce
- 1 large can crushed tomatoes
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
Topping
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 1 can chickpeas, rinsed
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
Crispy Onions
Toss sliced onions with a little flour. Fry in hot oil until deeply golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels. Keep the fragrant onion oil for the rest of the cooking!
Cook Base Ingredients
In separate pots, boil the lentils until tender, and cook the macaroni pasta. In another pot, toast the vermicelli in onion oil, add the rice, then cook together with water.
Make Sauce
Sauté diced onion and garlic in some of the reserved onion oil. Add cumin, crushed tomatoes, and vinegar. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until thick.
Warm Chickpeas
Quickly warm the rinsed canned chickpeas in a small pan with a dash of cumin and salt.
Layer
To serve, create a bed of the rice and vermicelli mixture. Add a layer of lentils and macaroni.
Top
Ladle the hot, spiced tomato sauce over the top, then garnish generously with the warmed chickpeas and the crispy fried onions.
Nutrition Facts
* Based on a 2,000 calorie diet.