Organic Egyptian Koshari

If you traveled to Cairo, you could not have missed it. Koshari is to Egypt what ham-butter baguette sandwich is to Paris. If at first mixing rice and pasta can sound like an aberration (yeah I know that's my European chauvinism), I have to admit it works and the dish is actually a perfect "cheap confort food on-the-go" combo. Quite rich but vegan, Koshari can be a perfect lunch with the rice and pasta for the carbohydrates, the lentils for the protein and the tomatoes and onion for the veggies. Be easy on the quantity if you can not go for a snooze as the confort of the Koshari will call for a nap if you abuse it. I use organic and wholewheat ingredients for my version to make it healthier, yet as yummy.

For 2/3 pers. :

Ingredients :

• 1 cup Organic Brown Basmati rice

• 1 cup Wholewheat small macaroni (or bucatini or small pasta...)

• 1 cup Organic green lentils

• 1 big Yellow Onion

• 2 Tbsp cumin

• 1 can Organic Diced Tomatoes

• 1 jar Organic Tomatoes passata

• 1 Tbsp White Vinegar

• 1 Tbsp chilli flakes

• 2/3 drops Hot sauce

• Olive oil

• Salt&Pepper

Instructions :

1. Rince the lentils with cold water and place with 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker. Cook for 12 minutes on High-pressure. If you do not have a pressure cooker, bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 25 to 30minutes.

2. Heat some olive oil in a pan, add the rice and stir it until each grain get coated with oil. Add 1 Tbsp of cumin, mix well and drop 2 cups of water in the pan. Reduce the heat, cover and cook for about 18 minutes.

3. Slice the onion, place in a bowl and drop 1 tsp of olive oil, mix and cook on air-fryer on 160d degrees until it gets brown, shaking the basket from time to time (I use an air-fryer as it is way healthier than deep-frying but if you fo not have one, try in the oven or with a regular fryer).

4. In a pan, add the tomatoes and the passata and bring to a gentle boil. Pour the white vinegar, the chilli flakes, the rest of the cumin and the hot sauce. Add Salt&pepper and stir. Let simmer on low heat until everything is ready.

5. Bring some water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the instructions written on the confection boxe.

6. Once all the elements are ready, mix the lentils, rice and pasta together (I add a tiny bit of butter to keep it not sticky but that is my french touch, you do not have to do it). Pour the tomatoes sauce on top and sprinkle the fried onion.

7. Serve immediately !

#vegan #koshari #egypt #carbs #lunch