Koshari

Koshari, also koshary, kosheri or kushari, is an Egyptian dish originally made in the 19th century, made of rice, macaroni and lentils mixed together, topped with a tomato-vinegar sauce; garnished with chickpeas and crispy fried onions. A sprinkling of garlic juice and hot sauce are optional.

It’s served in virtually every Egyptian restaurant, in every Egyptian home, and on every Egyptian street corner.  Street vendors serve the dish from carts to people eagerly waiting in line to eat this beloved and highly popular dish.  An unusual combination, Koshari mixes lentils, macaroni noodles and rice into a single dish and it’s then topped with a spicy tomato sauce that uses a special Middle Eastern spice blend, garbanzo beans, and fried onions.  The idea sounds strange…until you taste it.  Then you’ll know why this dish is a favorite among Egyptians.

Though it is Egypt’s national dish, it isn’t actually Egyptian in origin. Neither rice nor macaroni are indigenous to Egypt. It is believed that Koshari originated in India and dates back to the time of British Colonization. The name “Koshari” is actually from the Hindu “khichdi”, which refers to a dish of lentils and rice. When the British arrived in Egypt in the late 1800’s they brought this dish with them – it was inexpensive and filling. It didn’t take long before the dish was enthusiastically embraced by the Egyptian people.

Today Koshari is the ultimate street food.

The crowning aspect of this dish is the flavor-packed, spicy tomato sauce. It’s made with a special spice blend called Baharat (Arabic for “spice”), an all-purpose spice blend commonly used in Middle Eastern cuisine. Just a pinch adds depth and flavor to sauces, soups, stews and meat.

Now let’s move on to the Koshari. This recipe is very authentic and very simple to make, but be prepared to dirty up a few dishes!

Koshari

Duration 2 Hr 15 Mins

Preparation 30 Mins

Cooking   1 Hr 45 Min

Yields Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients

Crispy Onions

2 onions finely sliced

Oil for deep frying

Tomato sauce

2 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

3 – 4 cloves of garlic, chopped

250 gm tomato paste

A dash of vinegar

Salt to taste

1 tsp baharat (optional, leave it if you can’t find)

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp cumin powder (use only when you don't have baharat)

Chilli flakes

250 ml water

Rice, pasta & lentils

1 cup medium grained rice

1 cup green lentils, rinsed properly

1 cup small macaroni

¼ th of a pack of spaghetti

1 cup chicken stock (optional)

¼ cup chickpeas, soaked for atleast 3 - 4 hours and boiled

Olive oil

Salt

Method

Prepare the onion garnish by heating sufficient oil in a saucepan, adding the onions and deep-frying until dark brown. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towel. Leave to cool.

To make the sauce, place a saucepan over moderate heat and add the oil and onion. Cook until the onion and garlic till  it is soft. Add the garlic and fry to pale brown. Stir in the tomato paste and baharat and add salt, pepper and chilli flakes (if using) to taste. Add the water and simmer for 15–20 minutes or until the sauce has reduced by half. Add the vinegar and remove from the heat.

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a separate saucepan over moderate heat. Add the rice and 1 tsp of salt and fry for 2 minutes, then add 250 ml of water and chicken stock (if not using chicken stock, just add 500 ml of water. Stir well and bring to the boil. Once boiling, lower the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes until the rice is cooked.

Meanwhile, place the lentils in another saucepan with 500 ml of water and simmer until tender then drain. In another saucepan boil the macaroni with a little salt until al dente then drain. Heat 80 ml of olive oil in a frying pan and cook the onions until soft and caramelized.

To serve, reheat the tomato sauce. Place the hot macaroni in a large serving dish and coat with a little extra olive oil. Add the hot rice, lentils and caramelized onions and mix through. Sprinkle with the baharat and pour over the desired amount of tomato sauce. Garnish with the crispy onions and boiled chickpeas.