Koshari

Koshari (Egypt)

A beloved Egyptian street food classic, Koshari layers lentils, rice, and pasta with a bold garlic-spiced tomato sauce, crispy fried shallots, and chickpeas. Hearty, tangy, and satisfying, it’s a comforting vegetarian dish that brings together textures and flavors in perfect harmony.

Ingredients:

For the Koshari:

• ¾ cup (180ml) basmati rice, rinsed well
• ¾ cup (180ml) brown lentils, rinsed well
• 1 cup (240ml) elbow macaroni
• Salt to taste

For the Tomato Sauce:

• 1 ½ (360ml) cups tomato passata
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp (4.9ml) ground cumin
• 1 tsp (4.9ml) ground coriander
• 1 tsp (4.9ml) crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 tbsp (44.4ml) white vinegar
• 2 tbsp (29.6ml) olive oil
• Salt and black pepper to taste

For the Toppings:

• 5 large shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained thoroughly
• 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil
• Salt to taste

Method:

Make the Toppings:

Add the oil and sliced shallots to a skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, until the shallots are dark golden brown and crispy, about 20 minutes. Transfer the shallots to a paper towel lined tray and season with salt.

Carefully add the chickpeas to the hot oil and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes. Transfer the chickpeas to another paper towel lined tray and season with salt.

Make the Tomato Sauce:

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, or until the garlic starts to become fragrant. Add the cumin, coriander, and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds, stirring. Pour in the tomato passata and white vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Adjust the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes, until you have a nice thick tomato sauce.

Make the Koshari:

Add the brown lentils and 4 cups water to a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Continue cooking for 5 minutes, then stir in the rice. Adjust the heat to a lower simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Take the pot off the heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes more. Season the rice and lentils with salt and fluff with a fork.

Cook the elbow macaroni according to the package instructions and drain.

Assemble the Koshari:

First, add the lentils and rice to a large platter. Top that with the elbow macaroni noodles, then pour over the tomato sauce. Top with the chickpeas and fried shallots. Serve warm.