Egypt National Dish - Kushari

Kushari served at an Egyptian restaurant in Cairo

Kushari, often transliterated as koshary, kosheri or koshari, is a popular traditional Egyptian national dish. It consists of a base of rice, brown lentils, chickpeas, macaroni, and a topping of Egyptian garlic and vinegar and spicy tomato sauce (salsa). Fried onion are commonly added as a garnish. Koshary is normally a vegetarian and usually a vegan dish, possibly reflecting the meatless diet of Coptic Christians during Lent[citation needed] and other fasts and/or the high cost of meat for the lower classes. It is becoming common to add fried liver or shawarma meat as an additional topping.

Koshary is one of the most popular, inexpensive, and common dishes in Egypt, and many restaurants specialize in this one dish.

Kushari

1 ½ cups brown lentils (cooked)
1 ½ cups white pearl rice (cooked)
1 cup elbow macaroni (cooked)
Salt all to taste

-combine all 3 ingredients above in cooking pot
-add strained oil from caramelized onions
-cook over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes stirring often
serve by topping each portion with Spicy tomato sauce
and caramelized onions.

Caramelized onions

3 tbsp oil or butter
2 onions (sliced)

-heat pan, add oil
-brown onion rings until golden
-strain oil, put onions on absorbent paper

Spicy tomato sauce

1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
2 medium diced onions
7 garlic cloves diced very small
2 tsp vinegar
cooking oil
salt
pepper
hot chili flakes to taste

-sauté onions until soft
-add garlic and fry till pale brown
-add paste, salt, pepper, chili and vinegar
-add crushed tomatoes stirring often
-simmer on low heat until sauce darkens ½ to 1 hour