Ingredients: |
Ingredients: Koshari is a comforting bowl of simple pantry staples: spiced lentils and rice, combined with chickpeas and small pasta. All smothered in a tomato sauce that’s been spiked with vinegar then it’s topped with savory, crispy thin fried onion rings.
INGREDIENTS
For the Crispy Onion Topping: - 1 large onion, sliced into thin rings - Salt - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour - 1/2 cup cooking oil For Tomato Sauce: - Cooking oil - 1 small onion, grated - 4 garlic cloves, minced - 1 tsp ground coriander - 1/2 –1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional) - 1 can 28-oz tomato sauce - Salt and pepper - 1–2 tbsp distilled white vinegar For Koshari: - 1 1/2 cup brown lentils, picked over and well-rinsed - 1 1/2 cup medium-grain rice, rinsed, soaked in water for 15 minutes, drained - 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper - 1/2 tsp coriander - 2 cups elbow pasta - Cooking oil - Water - 1 15-oz can chickpeas, rinsed, drained and warmed
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Directions: |
Directions:INSTRUCTIONS
1- Make the crispy onion topping:
o Sprinkle the onion rings with salt, then toss them in the flour to coat. Shake off excess flour. o In a large skillet, heat the cooking oil over medium-high heat, cook the onion rings, stirring often, until they turn a nice caramelized brown. Onions must be crispy, but not burned (15-20 minutes).
2- Make the Tomato Sauce: o In a saucepan, heat 1 tbsp cooking oil. Add the grated onion, cook on medium-high until the onion turns a translucent gold (do not brown). Now add the garlic, coriander, and red pepper flakes, if using, and sauté briefly until fragrant (30-45 seconds more). o Stir in tomato sauce and pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens (15 minutes or so). o Stir in the distilled white vinegar, and turn the heat to low. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve
3- Make the Koshari: o Cook the lentils. Bring lentils and 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot or saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook until lentils are just tender (15-17 minutes). Drain from water and season with a little salt. (Note: when the lentils are ready, they should not be fully cooked. They should be only par-cooked and still have a bite to them as they need to finish cooking with the rice). o Now, for the rice. Drain the rice from its soaking water. Combine the par-cooked lentils and the rice in the saucepan over medium-high heat with 1 tbsp cooking oil, salt, pepper, and coriander. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring regularly. Add warm water to cover the rice and lentil mixture by about 1 1/2 inches (you’ll probably use about 3 cups of water here). Bring to a boil; the water should reduce a bit. Now cover and cook until all the liquid has been absorbed and both the rice and lentils are well cooked through (about 20 minutes). Keep covered and undisturbed for 5 minutes or so. o Now make the pasta. While the rice and lentils are cooking, make the pasta according to package instructions by adding the elbow pasta to boiling water with a dash of salt and a little oil. Cook until the pasta is al dente. Drain. o Cover the chickpeas and warm in the microwave briefly before serving.
SERVEING: To serve, fluff the rice and lentils with a fork and transfer to a serving platter. Top with the elbow pasta and 1/2 of the tomato sauce, then the chickpeas, and finally 1/2 of the crispy onions for garnish. Serve, passing the remaining sauce and crispy onions separately. |