Ingredients
▢Crispy Fried Onions
▢2 yellow onions large, peeled and sliced thin
▢1½ cups sunflower oil
▢2 pinches salt
▢¼ cup all purpose flour
Koshari
▢2 tablespoons cooking oil the onion oil from above
▢1½ cups Jasmine rice rinsed and drained, see note
▢¼ cup vermicelli optional
▢1½ cups green lentils or brown, rinsed and drained
▢1½ cups elbow pasta or ditalini
▢1 teaspoon salt extra for pasta
▢1 15 oz canned chickpeas rinsed and drained
▢1 teaspoon ground coriander see note
▢½ teaspoon ground black pepper
▢½ teaspoon ground cumin
▢½ teaspoon garlic powder optional
Sauces
▢2 tablespoons cooking oil the onion oil from above
▢5 cloves garlic
▢1½ teaspoons ground cumin
▢1 teaspoon ground coriander
▢½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
▢2 cups tomato sauce or canned crushed tomatoes
▢2 tablespoons white vinegar more as per taste
▢1 tablespoon lemon juice optional, adjust per taste
▢Salt to taste
▢Ground Black Pepper to taste
Instructions
Crispy Fried Onions
In a wide frying pan, heat oil over medium-high.
Tip: To check if it is ready, hold your palm about 3 inches above the surface of oil, you should feel the heat.
In a large bowl take the sliced onion and sprinkle two pinches of salt, then toss with flour to coat. Shake off any excess flour.
Fry onions in batches until crisp golden brown. Do not crowd the pan. Drain on paper towel lined plates and set aside.
Koshari
Rice: In a cooking pot, heat 1 tablespoon onion oil, add vermicelli and saute until light golden brown. Add rice, 3 cups water and ⅔ teaspoon salt. Bring it to a boil, lower the heat and let it cook for 15 minutes until steam builds up well.
Lentils: In a saucepan, take lentils, 3 cups water, 1 teaspoon oil, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon coriander, ½ teaspoon pepper, ⅓ teaspoon salt and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and let it cook for 15 to 20 minutes until all the lentils are well cooked but do not turn mushy. They should still have a nice bite and texture. Drain any excess water and set aside.
Chickpeas: In a small skillet heat 2 teaspoons onion oil. Add drained chickpeas, ½ teaspoon coriander, garlic powder and stir it couple minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.
Tip: Seasoning the chickpeas in this manner is optional.
Pasta: In a cooking pot take 6 cups of water, 2 teaspoons salt, a drizzle of oil and bring it to a rolling boil. Add pasta and let it cook uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes until al dente (check time on package). Drain the pasta and set it aside.
Sauces
Heat 2 tablespoons onion oil in a saucepan. Add grated garlic and saute 1 to 2 minutes but do not let it turn brown. Then add 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon coriander, chili flakes and stir it well. Transfer half of this mixture into a small bowl.
Tomato Sauce: To the remaining mixture in the saucepan, add tomato sauce and simmer 5 minutes, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Garlic Vinegar: To the other half in the bowl, add 2 tablespoons vinegar, ¼ cup water, ½ teaspoon cumin (optional) and stir. Season with salt and pepper. Add more lemon juice or vinegar and water to make more sauce as per taste.
Notes
Cooking Time and Texture: Do not overcook the rice, pasta, lentils and chickpeas. They should hold shape and not turn mushy. Follow package instructions.
Rice: Typically small or medium grain is used, but here I used jasmine rice as per preference. Follow package instructions for cooking time and water needed.
Lentil Water: Some recipes use the water drained after cooking lentils to prepare the rice, which gives it a brown color.
Baharat: This middle-eastern spice blend can be used to substitute ground cumin and ground coriander.
Hot sauce known as shatta in middle-east can be served on the side along with the other sauces.
Readymade Crispy Onions: Asian stores have fried shallots and American groceries have fried onions in cans.
Make Ahead: You can make ahead all the layers of this dish, expect try to make fried onions closer to serving time.
Leftovers: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Warm it up before serving.
Make it Easy: Cook the rice and lentils together in one step. Or add pasta also to it. This is easier but the best textural results are achieved when each layer is cooked separately.