Egyptian Kushari

Middle Eastern

Egyptian Kushari

Often called the national dish of Egypt, Kushari is a hearty combination of flavors and textures all topped off with spicy tomato sauce and fried onions.

Ingredients

For the Sauce

1 tsp olive oil

1 small onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

½ Tbsp cumin

¾ tsp paprika

¼ - ½ tsp cayenne, (depending on your heat preference)

¼ tsp ginger

¼ tsp salt

Pinch nutmeg

Pinch cloves

For the Pasta

¾ c elbow macaroni, dry

¼ c spaghetti, dry, broken into 1” pieces

For the Fried Onion Topping

1 tsp olive oil

1 onion, sliced

2 Tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour

For the Dish

1 ¾ c cooked lentils, cooked

1 ¼ c cooked chickpeas, cooked

1 1/2 c cooked white rice

Instructions

For the Sauce

Heat 1 tsp of oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

Add the onion and garlic and sauté until soft, 2-3 min.

Add the remaining sauce ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil.

Simmer the sauce 20 minutes, until thick and fragrant, adding water if the sauce seems to be too dry.

Taste the sauce and add more cayenne or salt if desired.

For the Pasta

In another medium saucepan, bring 1 quart of water t a boil. Add pasta and cook, uncovered, 10 minutes. Drain pasta and toss with a little oil to keep it from sticking together while the rest of the dish is being prepared.

For the Onions

In a small, non-stick frying pan, heat 1 tsp oil.

Toss onion slices with 2 Tbsp flour and place floured onions into the hot oil.

Fry over medium high heat until crisp and golden.

Remove the fried onions from pan and place onto a paper towel lined plate

To Serve

Start each plate off with a layer of mixed noodles. Top the noodles with rice, lentils, and chickpeas. Spoon the tomato sauce over the beans, and finish everything off with the fried onions.