Koshari

Method13 steps · about 1 hr 22 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Pick through and rinse all the dry brown lentils (1½ cups). Separately rinse the dry medium-grain rice (1½ cups) and leave it soaking in water for fifteen minutes. Put the rinsed lentils and all four cups measured lentil water in a saucepan and bring to a boil while the rice soaks.

   Soak the rice while starting lentils · 15 minUses 1½ cups dry brown lentils, picked over and rinsed in step 1 · 1½ cups dry medium-grain rice, rinsed and soaked for 15 minutes in step 1 · Rinsing water for the brown lentils · Water for rinsing and soaking rice for 15 minutes · 4 cups water for initial lentil simmer

2. 2

   Step 2: While the rice soaks, reduce the lentil pot to low heat and simmer for fifteen to seventeen minutes, until the lentils are only partly cooked and still retain a bite. Drain the lentils, season with a little salt and hold them ready to finish cooking with the rice. After the rice has soaked for fifteen minutes, drain it separately and hold it ready too.

   Par-cook brown lentils; keep some bite · 17 minUses Only the lentil pot; keep rice soaking separately · Salt for par-cooked lentils, to taste

3. 3

   Step 3: Peel and thinly slice the large topping onion (1 large) into rings. Sprinkle the rings with salt and toss them in all the onion-coating flour (⅓ cup). Shake off excess loose flour.

   Uses 1 large onion, sliced into thin rings in step 3 · Salt for coating the onion rings, to taste · ⅓ cup all-purpose flour for coating onion rings

4. 4

   Step 4: Heat the full half-cup onion-frying oil (½ cup) in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the actual coated onion rings for fifteen to twenty minutes, stirring often, until caramelised brown and crisp without burning. Lift them out of the frying oil, drain on kitchen paper and hold for topping.

   Fry onion rings until crisp without burning · 20 minUses All coated onion rings · ½ cup cooking oil for frying the onion topping

5. 5

   Step 5: Put the held drained soaked rice and held par-cooked lentils into a saucepan over medium-high heat with the separate tablespoon rice oil (1 tbsp), half-teaspoon rice salt (½ tsp), half-teaspoon black pepper (½ tsp) and half-teaspoon ground coriander (½ tsp). Cook for three minutes, stirring regularly.

   Saute soaked rice and par-cooked lentils with spices · 3 minUses All the drained par-cooked lentils and all the rice after its fifteen-minute soak · 1 tbsp cooking oil for rice and lentils · ½ tsp salt for rice and lentils · ½ tsp black pepper for rice and lentils · ½ tsp ground coriander for the rice and lentils

6. 6

   Step 6: Add warm rice-cooking water to cover the actual rice-lentil mixture by about one and a half inches; approximately three cups may be needed depending on the pan. Bring to a boil and let the water level reduce a little.

   Uses All sauteed rice and lentils · Warm water to cover the rice-lentil mixture by about 1½ inches, approximately 3 cups

7. 7

   Step 7: Reduce to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for about twenty minutes, until the liquid has been absorbed and both rice and lentils are fully tender. Take off the heat, keeping the lid closed.

   Covered rice-lentil simmer until tender · 20 minUses The complete rice-lentil pot

8. 8

   Step 8: Leave the cooked rice and lentils covered and undisturbed for about five minutes off the heat. Then hold them covered for final assembly.

   Rest cooked rice and lentils off the heat · 5 minUses The complete covered cooked rice-lentil pan

9. 9

   Step 9: While the rice and lentils cook, bring a separate pan of pasta water to a boil with the dash of salt and little pasta oil. Add all the dry elbow macaroni (2 cups) and cook according to the package until al dente. Drain the actual cooked pasta and hold it ready for assembly.

   Uses 2 cups dry elbow macaroni · Water for cooking elbow pasta, according to its package · 1 dash salt for pasta-cooking water · A little cooking oil for the pasta water

10. 10

    Step 10: Drain and rinse the cooked canned chickpeas. Put them in a microwave-safe bowl, cover appropriately and warm briefly until hot, stirring if needed. Hold the warmed chickpeas ready for serving.

    Uses 1 can containing 15 oz cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained in step 10 · Rinsing water for the canned cooked chickpeas

11. 11

    Step 11: Peel and grate the separate small sauce onion (1 small), and peel and mince all four garlic cloves. Heat the tablespoon sauce oil (1 tbsp) in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook the grated onion until translucent gold without browning. Add the minced garlic, full teaspoon sauce coriander (1 tsp) and optional red pepper flakes, then saute for thirty to forty-five seconds until fragrant.

    Garlic and sauce spices after onion turns translucent · 1 minUses 1 tbsp cooking oil for tomato sauce · 1 small onion, grated in step 11 · 4 garlic cloves, minced in step 11 · 1 tsp ground coriander for tomato sauce · Optional ½–1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

12. 12

    Step 12: Stir all the canned tomato sauce into the cooked sauce base with a pinch of sauce salt and black pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook for about fifteen minutes until thickened. Stir in one to two tablespoons distilled white vinegar to taste, turn the heat low and cover to keep the finished sauce warm.

    Simmer tomato sauce until thickened · 15 minUses All the cooked sauce base · 1 can containing 28 oz tomato sauce · A pinch of sauce salt, then adjust to taste · Black pepper for tomato sauce, to taste · 1–2 tbsp distilled white vinegar

13. 13

    Step 13: Fluff the actual cooked rested rice and lentils with a fork and transfer to a platter. Top with all the actual cooked elbow macaroni and half the warm tomato sauce, followed by all the warmed chickpeas and half the crisp drained onion rings. Serve in four to six portions, passing the remaining sauce and crisp onions separately.

    Uses All cooked rested rice and lentils · All actual drained cooked macaroni · All warmed chickpeas · All finished sauce: half on the dish, remainder passed separately · All crisp onion rings: half on the dish, remainder passed separately