Koshari

When I was traveling in Cairo, Egypt in 1997 I was introduced to a vegetarian dish called Koshari. It was such an interesting and delicious meal that we returned to the restaurant a couple different times to enjoy it. After returning to the states, I often wished I had a recipe for this dish. I looked several times on the Internet with no success and after several years, had pretty much given up hope of finding this recipe.

Then one day several months ago I met an Egyptian woman in Harrison. Her husband is a doctor here and they had just returned from Cairo. I got up he nerve to ask her if she had ever heard of Koshari. She had indeed. She took great pleasure in sharing with me that it is a very common meal served in “fast food” type restaurants, sold from carts by street vendors and made in homes all over Egypt. “I’ll bring you the recipe” she said. I was ecstatic and the day she brought it to me I was so excited. It was like I was bringing home a part of my trip that I had lost.

Well, tonight I served Koshari to my family for the first time. And I think it was a big hit! It will forever be know in our house as “Egyptian Chili” and I think it is something we will have from time to time since everyone liked it. I think that the hot, spicy, red sauce that you put on top is the kicker. I understand that there are many variations to the sauce, and quite frankly mine was not even close to the hot sauce we had in Cairo. But it was delicious and I share the recipe with you! Enjoy.














KOSHARI
2 cups Bismati Rice cooked
2 cups small pasta (penne, elbow or shell), cooked
1 cup lentils, cooked
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
¼ cup butter

HOT SAUCE:
6 cloves garlic
2 Tablespoons white vinegar
1 can tomato paste (6 oz)
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cumin
¼ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
Chili pepper to taste (if you like it hot!)

GARLIC SAUCE:
Crushed garlic
½ cup vinegar
½ cup lemon juice

1. Cook rice according to package instructions and set aside.

2. Cook pasta according to package instructions and set aside.

3. Wash the lentils and soak covered in water for at least 2 hours. Drain. (Although there is no need to soak lentils as with beans, soaking in warm water for several hours or overnight helps bring out the lentil’s flavor and maintain its shape during cooking.) Rinse lentils and put them in a pot, covering them with water and bring to a boil. Then simmer on a low heat until almost all water is absorbed and lentils are well cooked, about 20 minutes. Add extra water if longer time is needed.

4. Heat the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and sauté until golden brown and slightly crispy, 10-15 minutes. Drain on a paper towel.

To make the Hot Sauce:
Slice garlic. Sauté in small amount of oil. Add vinegar, tomato paste, salt, cumin, water, and chili pepper, if desired. Cook until mixture boils. Lower heat and simmer until cooked.

To make the Garlic Sauce:
Combine the crushed garlic with the lemon juice and vinegar in a bowl and leave for one hour till flavors blend well.

The dish should be arranged as a layer of lentils (on the bottom), followed by a layer of rice, then another layer of lentils and another layer of rice. Sprinkle the onions and the sauce on top before serving.

Try it! You'll like it!