Egyptian Lentils
Submitted by Miso
Egyptian lentils (koshari) with rice and elbow macaroni topped with spicy tomato-vinegar sauce and crispy caramelized onions. A hearty vegan comfort dish.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
60 minREADY
80 minThis is koshari, Egypt’s national street food. Lentils, rice, and elbow macaroni get cooked separately, then piled together in a bowl and drenched with a spicy tomato-vinegar sauce. A tangle of deeply browned onions goes on top, and the whole thing gets eaten immediately while everything is still hot.
Cooking each component separately is the point. The lentils stay firm and earthy, the rice stays fluffy, and the macaroni keeps its chew. Mixing them raw or cooking them together turns the whole thing into mush.
The vinegar in the tomato sauce is what makes koshari koshari. It cuts through the starchiness of three carbs on one plate and gives the dish a sharp, tangy bite that keeps you reaching for another forkful.
Pro Tips
- Brown the onions slowly until the edges are deeply caramelized, almost crispy. Pale onions won’t give you the signature flavor.
- Don’t skip the vinegar in the sauce. It’s the ingredient that ties together three very different textures.
- Saute the fresh hot peppers in oil before adding the tomato sauce. This blooms their heat into the oil and distributes it evenly through the sauce.
Variations
- Use brown lentils or green lentils depending on what you can find. Both hold their shape well.
- Add a pinch of cumin and coriander to the tomato sauce for a more traditional spice profile.
- Top with a fried egg for extra protein while keeping it vegetarian.
Ingredients
Directions
Place lentils in a saucepan and cover by 1". Turn heat to high, bring to a boil, turn down heat to simmer, and cook covered for 35 minutes or until tender.
Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Set aside.
Bring 3 cups of water to a boil, add rice turn down to simmer for 20 minutes and fluff up rice with a fork and add to lentils.
Boil 2 quarts of water, add elbow macaroni and cook until tender. Add to lentils.
In a small skillet add 1 tbl of oil and sauté finely chopped peppers for 2 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, ½ cup of water, and the vinegar, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
In another skillet heat 2 tbls oil, add onions and sauté until brown around the edges. Garnish lentil mixture with the onions and pour the tomato sauce over all.
Serve immediately.
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