richard-in-cincy
Well-known member
This is Egyptian streetfood raised to an elevated height. A far greater sum than its components, this is seriously good comfort food.
Egyptian Koshary
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups rice (brown or basmati are good choices)
3 cups water
1 (16 ounce) package raw elbow macaroni
1 cup beluga lentils, rinsed in water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 large onions, shredded or chopped
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon fenugreek powder
4 ripe tomatoes, diced (or sub large can tomatoes)
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1/2 tsp. chili flakes (or to taste)
Optional: cooked garbanzo beans as a garnish and a vinegar and oil dressing with/without chilis as a condiment and/or chili sauce like tabasco.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a big skillet over medium-high flame. Stir the onions in the oil, stirring frequently, until they start to caramelize, for 20-30 minutes. Onions should be a fine caramelized coffee color. Put in garlic and stir another minute. Set aside.
Soak lentils for a half hour.
Put half of the onions into saucepan. Stir in the chopped tomatoes,tomato paste, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, cumin, fenugreek, black pepper, cayenne, and chili flakes. Simmer then reduce flame to medium-low and boil for another 15 minutes to thick spaghetti sauce-like consistency. Stir in the vinegar.
Drain and wash lentils, then drain again. Simmer 2 cups of water in a pan and mix in lentils. Simmer; cover and trim down heat to low. Boil until lentils are soft for 25 minutes. Mix in 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan on medium-high flame. Mix in rice; go on stirring until rice is covered with oil, and toast for a few minutes. Add 3 cups water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Simmer; reduce flame to low, put lid on, and boil until the rice is soft and water has been incorporated.
Fill a big pot with slightly salted water and simmer, give it a rolling boil over high flame. Mix in the macaroni, and return to a simmer. Cook the macaroni without cover, stirring infrequently until al dente. Drain well in a strainer. Put back macaroni to cooking pan, cover and keep hot.
Serve by putting a full spoon of rice, then macaroni, and after that the lentils on serving dish, and then top with tomato sauce. Garnish with caramelized onions.
Sort of like a Cincinnati 3-way if you've ever had that! LOL
Note: Some add garbanzo beans to this mix as well. This dish is not only very tasty, it's also a great source of fiber!
Egyptian Koshary
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups rice (brown or basmati are good choices)
3 cups water
1 (16 ounce) package raw elbow macaroni
1 cup beluga lentils, rinsed in water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 large onions, shredded or chopped
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon fenugreek powder
4 ripe tomatoes, diced (or sub large can tomatoes)
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1/2 tsp. chili flakes (or to taste)
Optional: cooked garbanzo beans as a garnish and a vinegar and oil dressing with/without chilis as a condiment and/or chili sauce like tabasco.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a big skillet over medium-high flame. Stir the onions in the oil, stirring frequently, until they start to caramelize, for 20-30 minutes. Onions should be a fine caramelized coffee color. Put in garlic and stir another minute. Set aside.
Soak lentils for a half hour.
Put half of the onions into saucepan. Stir in the chopped tomatoes,tomato paste, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, cumin, fenugreek, black pepper, cayenne, and chili flakes. Simmer then reduce flame to medium-low and boil for another 15 minutes to thick spaghetti sauce-like consistency. Stir in the vinegar.
Drain and wash lentils, then drain again. Simmer 2 cups of water in a pan and mix in lentils. Simmer; cover and trim down heat to low. Boil until lentils are soft for 25 minutes. Mix in 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan on medium-high flame. Mix in rice; go on stirring until rice is covered with oil, and toast for a few minutes. Add 3 cups water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Simmer; reduce flame to low, put lid on, and boil until the rice is soft and water has been incorporated.
Fill a big pot with slightly salted water and simmer, give it a rolling boil over high flame. Mix in the macaroni, and return to a simmer. Cook the macaroni without cover, stirring infrequently until al dente. Drain well in a strainer. Put back macaroni to cooking pan, cover and keep hot.
Serve by putting a full spoon of rice, then macaroni, and after that the lentils on serving dish, and then top with tomato sauce. Garnish with caramelized onions.
Sort of like a Cincinnati 3-way if you've ever had that! LOL
Note: Some add garbanzo beans to this mix as well. This dish is not only very tasty, it's also a great source of fiber!