Khoshari is the national dish of Egypt. The first time I had this dish was in Bahrain. I remember having gone to an exhibition. There were many food stalls outside and it being lunchtime, we decided to get some food. I had never tried Egyptian food so I decided to give it a try. I did not know what I was buying but when I bought it, it was love at first bite! Khoshari is made with delicious lentils and rice, topped with some pasta (macaroni and spaghetti) and chickpeas. A deliciously tangy, spicy tomato sauce brings all these ingredients together! My taste buds were so confused yet so happy when I first had this dish! I remember eating it at least 3 times during that trip! That is how much I loved it!

When we went to Egypt, we had to get some Khoshari. We had the best one at this small, hole in the wall place just opposite the pyramids. It was mouth-watering and even better than the one we had in Bahrain! (Duh!) The waiter was kind enough to serve it with a side of spicy sauce for me while Mayur enjoyed the regular spiced khoshari. The spicy, tangy khoshari was perfect for a  snack on a chilled winter night. Another interesting thing I found about khoshari is that the origins are believed to be in India. It apparently is an Egyptian take on khichdi, a dish cooked with rice and lentils. The Britishers apparently introduced khichdi to the Egyptians and their take on it is what khoshari is all about! It does amaze me every time I find food origins in two different parts of the world, connected in a way that we can never imagine. Food truly is what unites us!

I hope you all enjoy my take on this dish. It does take a lot of time to make and has different components that need to be cooked separately. But believe me, it is worth the effort! 

What you will need:

How to make it:

Cooking the Lentils/Chickpeas:

• Soak the lentils and chickpeas overnight.
• Discard the water the next morning. Add fresh water and 1/3 teaspoon salt in each.
• Pressure cook separately for 2 whistles or until done.
• Drain the water and set aside. 

Fry the Onions:

• Slice the onions lengthwise.
• Add oil to a frying pan and fry the onions until they caramelize and turn brownish-black. You can also deep fry them- I just like to avoid that process. 
• Keep them aside.

For the Sauce:

• Heat oil in a saucepan.
• Add finely chopped garlic and let it cook for 30 seconds.
• Add freshly pureed tomato and tomato paste. 
• Add the cumin powder, paprika, salt,  and red chili powder. 
• Cover and let it cook for 10 minutes on a medium flame. 
• Add 2 cups of water and let it simmer on a slow flame for another 15 minutes. 
• The sauce has to be thick. 

For the Rice:

• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add washed, short-grain rice, and saute for a minute.
• Add salt, the stock, and water to the rice. Mix well.
• Tip: You can just add water, however, I personally like the flavor that the stock imparts to the rice. You can add any stock of your choice. 
• Cover and cook on a slow flame until the rice is done. It should take around 10-15 minutes depending on your rice. 

Make the pasta: 

• Boil water in a pot and add around 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Let it come to a boil.
• Add the macaroni pasta and cook it till done. Drain and set aside.
• Repeat the same process with the spaghetti.

Putting it all together:

• Mix the rice and lentils.
• On a plate, place this rice-lentil mix. 
• Top with spaghetti and macaroni. 
• Add some chickpeas. 
• Top with the tomato sauce and garnish with fried onions. 
• Enjoy with your family and friends!