Koshari: Egypt's beloved street food winning hearts in the UK

Koshari is one of those dishes that doesn't particularly present well on the plate, but it tastes really good. It is a popular street food originating from Egypt, often referred to as the country's national dish. A lot is going on in a humble bowl—pasta, rice, lentils and chickpeas. The whole thing is topped with a spice mix called baharat and tomato sauce. The aroma in the kitchen makes you feel like you're at one of the Egyptian markets.

Koshari is incredibly popular in Egypt, where it can be found on every street corner. It is also gaining more popularity in the UK and can be found in some Middle Eastern restaurants.

Rice, lentils, pasta, and chickpeas in one dish may seem like a controversial idea, but there’s a reason Egyptians love it. The combination of different textures, consistencies, and flavours with an aromatic spice mix is truly delicious. You don’t need to search for baharat - you can prepare the mix at home.

Ingredients:

                          
• 1 cup of canned brown lentils
• 1 cup of white rice
• 1 and a half cups of macaroni
• 1 cup of canned chickpeas
• 300 ml of vegetable stock
• Olive oil
• Salt to taste

Sauce:

                      
• 1 large onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 teaspoons of baharat spice mix
• 1/2 teaspoon of chilli flakes
• 2 cans of chopped tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons of lemon juice or wine vinegar

Baharat spice mix:

                              
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon of ground coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon of ground sweet paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

Preparation method:

1. Chop half the onion into cubes and the other half into thin half-moons.
2. Sauté the cubed onion in olive oil, and add garlic and baharat. Fry for a few minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, lemon juice, and chilli. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
4. Coat the sliced onion in flour and salt.
5. Fry in oil until golden brown.
6. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.
7. Cook the rice in the stock.
8. Combine cooked pasta, rice, lentils, and chickpeas in a large pot.
9. Heat the mixture, adding some tomato sauce to taste.
10. Serve a portion of the pasta mixture on a plate.
11. Top with tomato sauce and sprinkle crispy onion on top.

You can garnish the dish with chopped parsley or coriander. Enjoy!