1661. Koshari Rice

Let me start by saying that this is not the traditional Egyptian koshari rice, rather than a version of it. The traditional version includes pasta on top of everything else, which I just don't get because the rice is enough. You do not make koshari by accident. It is a muti-put, multi-ingredient, and time-consuming dish to make. One you taste it though, you will understand why it is worth the trouble a couple times a year. There are ways to make it easier. I listed a can of chickpeas, but honestly I prefer soaking half a cup of dried chickpeas overnight and cooking it the next day for better flavor. Cooking the crispy onions is a smelly and time-consuming job, whereas nowadays crispy fried onions are readily and cheaply sold in plastic jars. I loved the sauce so much, I think I will make a pasta version of this koshari. Well worth cooking the sauce in bulk and storing it in the refrigerator for multiple uses.

Ingredients:

For the Crispy Onion Topping

1 large onion, sliced into thin rings

⅓ cup flour

½ cup oil

For Tomato Sauce

1 small onion, grated

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

1 can 800g tomato sauce

Salt and pepper

1-2 Tbsp vinegar

For Koshari 

1 ½ cup brown lentils

1 ½ cup medium-grain rice, rinsed, soaked for 15 minutes

2 tsp salt & pepper

½ tsp coriander

1 can chickpeas, rinsed, drained and warmed

Method:

Make the crispy onion topping.  Sprinkle the onion rings with the flour and toss to coat. Shake off excess flour. In a large skillet, heat the cooking oil over medium-high heat, cook the onion rings, stirring often, until they turn a nice caramelized brown. Onions must be crispy, but not burned (15-20 minutes).

Make the Tomato Sauce. In a saucepan, heat 1 tbsp cooking oil. Add the grated onion, cook on medium-high until the onion turns a translucent gold (do not brown). Now add the garlic, coriander, and red pepper flakes, if using, and saute briefly until fragrant (30-45 seconds more).

Stir in tomato sauce and pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens (15 minutes or so). Stir in the distilled white vinegar, and turn the heat to low. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve.

Make the Koshari: Cook the lentils. Bring lentils and 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot or saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook until lentils are just tender (15-17 minutes). Drain from water and season with a little salt. (Note: when the lentils are ready, they should not be fully cooked. They should be only par-cooked and still have a bite to them as they need to finish cooking with the rice).

Now, for the rice. Drain the rice from its soaking water. Combine the par-cooked lentils and the rice in the saucepan over medium-high heat with 1 tbsp cooking oil, salt, pepper, and coriander. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring regularly. Add warm water to cover the rice and lentil mixture by about a finger's width. Bring to a boil; the water should reduce a bit. Now cover and cook until all the liquid has been absorbed and both the rice and lentils are well cooked through (about 20 minutes).  Keep covered and undisturbed for 5 minutes or so.

Cover the chickpeas and warm in the microwave briefly before serving.

Put it All Together! To serve, fluff the rice and lentils with a fork and transfer to a serving platter. Top with the tomato sauce, then the chickpeas, and finally the crispy onions for garnish. Serve immediately.

صحة و عافية