Koshari

Koshari (Egyptian Rice, Lentil & Pasta with Spicy Tomato Sauce)

Egypt's beloved national street food: a layered bowl of rice, brown lentils, macaroni and chickpeas, finished with a garlicky spiced tomato sauce, crispy onions, and a sharp garlic-vinegar-chilli drizzle. Traditionally served with every component piled on top so each bite picks up everything.

Prep

20 min

Cook

60 min

Total

80 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •250 g (1¼ cups) brown lentils, whole brown/green lentils, not red
• •250 g (1¼ cups) short-grain or medium-grain white rice, Egyptian rice if available; basmati works
• •200 g (7 oz) small dried elbow macaroni, or ditalini/small shells
• •240 g (1 standard can, drained) cooked chickpeas, or 120 g dried, soaked and cooked until tender
• •2 large yellow onions, for the crispy topping
• •500 g (about 2 cups puréed) ripe tomatoes, or 1 x 400 g can crushed tomatoes
• •3 tbsp tomato paste
• •4 cloves garlic, minced, plus extra for the vinegar sauce
• •1 tsp ground cumin
• •1 tsp ground coriander
• •cayenne or hot chilli powder, ½, adjust to taste
• •1 tsp sweet paprika
• •60 ml (¼ cup) white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• •250 ml (1 cup) neutral oil, for frying onions; a home cook can shallow-fry in a deep skillet instead of a street-vendor deep fryer
• •1 L (about 4 cups) water or vegetable stock, for cooking lentils and rice
• •salt, to taste
• •black pepper, to taste

Steps

1. 1 Pick over the lentils, rinse well, then place in a saucepan, cover with plenty of water, bring to a boil and simmer 18–22 minutes until just tender but not mushy. Drain and season with salt. Set aside.
2. 2 While the lentils cook, prepare the crispy onions: halve the onions pole-to-pole and slice thinly into half-rings. Pat very dry with a clean towel. Heat the oil in a deep skillet to about 180°C / 350°F (a small piece of onion should sizzle immediately). Fry the onions in batches, stirring, 5–7 minutes until deep golden brown. Lift out with a slotted spoon onto paper towels. Season lightly with salt. Reserve the oil.
3. 3 Cook the macaroni in well-salted boiling water until just al dente, about 7–8 minutes. Drain, rinse briefly under cold water to stop the cooking, toss with 1 tsp of the reserved onion oil to prevent sticking, and set aside.
4. 4 Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. In a saucepan, heat 1 tbsp of the reserved onion oil, add the drained rice and toast 1 minute. Pour in 375 ml / 1½ cups water and ½ tsp salt, bring to a boil, cover tightly, reduce heat to the lowest setting and cook 15 minutes. Remove from heat and rest, covered, 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
5. 5 Make the tomato sauce: in a saucepan, sauté 2 minced garlic cloves in 1 tbsp oil for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the ground cumin, coriander, paprika and cayenne, stir 20 seconds, then add the puréed tomatoes and tomato paste. Rinse the can/tomato bowl with about 120 ml / ½ cup water and add that too. Simmer uncovered 12–15 minutes until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
6. 6 Make the garlic-vinegar: finely grate or crush 2 garlic cloves, stir into the vinegar with a pinch of salt and a pinch of chilli. Let sit 5 minutes.
7. 7 Warm the drained chickpeas in a small pan with a splash of water and a pinch of salt.
8. 8 To serve, mound rice on a plate, add a layer of lentils, then macaroni, then chickpeas. Spoon the hot tomato sauce generously over the top so it seeps down, then pile on a big handful of crispy onions. Drizzle the garlic-vinegar over everything or serve it on the side for diners to add to taste. Provide extra chilli sauce (shatta) alongside.
9. 9 Safety note: the tomato sauce must be simmered until hot and steaming throughout (held at a gentle boil for at least 10–12 minutes) to be safe. If using dried chickpeas, boil them for at least 10 minutes after soaking to destroy any naturally occurring toxins before finishing the simmer.