Koshary Rice Lentils And Pasta In Tomato Garlic Sauce Food

KUSHARI - EGYPTIAN RICE, LENTILS, AND PASTA WITH SPICY TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Clean the onions, cut them in half, then slice in thin half-circles.
• In a medium pan, heat oil to 350 degrees F. You want just enough oil to cover the onions, about 3 cups.
• Cook onions in oil, stirring occasionally. Keep an eye on the edges around the pan, that will darken too quickly first.
• When they are golden brown, lift them out with a slotted spoon and spread on a layer of napkins. Keep them spread out so they can stay crispy.
• Keep the onion oil - you'll use it in three other places in the Kushari.
• Simmer lentils in water until they are almost soft, about 20-25 minutes, then drain. You don't want to fully cook them at this point because they will be cooked further with the rice.
• In the same pan, heat 4 tablespoons onion oil. Sauté rice and cumin in oil about 30 seconds then add lentils, broth, salt, and 1 handful of the fried onions, smashed.
• Bring to a boil. After boiling, cover pan with lid, turn heat to low, and cook until rice is done, about 15 minutes. Turn off heat, let rest for 10 minutes, then fluff with fork. Keep covered until ready to use. Wrapped in a blanket, the rice will stay warm for several hours.
• Cook the ditalini in salted, boiling water until al dente. Drain.
• Toss with ¼ cup onion oil and salt to taste.
• Cover and keep warm until ready to use. Wrapped in a blanket, the pasta will stay warm for several hours.
• Sauté onion and green pepper in 2 tablespoons of the onion oil until they are soft.
• Add garlic, tomato, vinegar, bouillon cube, and salt to taste. Let simmer 10 minutes. Turn off heat. Keep warm until ready to use.
• Either layer the separate components in a big serving dish or in individual bowls. First a layer of the rice and lentils goes in. Then the pasta, sauce, and finally the fried onions.
• If you are using the optional chickpeas, add them on top of the sauce and before the onions.
• For the optional extra garlic vinegar sauce, see notes.

KOSHARI RECIPE

Steps:

• Sprinkle the onion rings with salt, then toss them in the flour to coat. Shake off excess flour.
• 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).
• 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 saute briefly until fragrant (30-45 seconds more).
• Stir in tomato sauce and pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens (15 minutes or so).
• Stir in the distilled white vinegar, and turn the heat to low. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve.
• 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).
• 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.
• 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.
• Cover the chickpeas and warm in the microwave briefly before serving.
• 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.

KOSHARY (RICE LENTILS AND PASTA IN TOMATO-GARLIC SAUCE)

Steps:

• For the Tomato and Garlic sauce: Pour olive oil into a medium-sized saucepan set over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomato sauce. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the water and vinegar, and turn the heat to high. When it starts to boil, immediately turn off the heat. Transfer to a medium-sized bowl, season with salt to taste, and set aside.
• For the Koshary: Pour one tablespoon of olive oil into a large, heavy skillet set over medium-high heat. When shimmering, add onion and stir well. Once coated in the oil, reduce heat to low and cook until heavily caramelized, about 45 minutes to an hour. Stir often.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F Also, fill a medium-sized pot with water, salt heavily and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook the pasta until al dente, then remove to a bowl with a strainer. Toss with 1 tbsp olive oil.
• Bring water back to the boil. Add the lentils, and then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until cooked, but still al dente, about 15 minutes. Drain lentils and set aside to cool.
• Pour two tablespoons of olive oil into a dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the cinnamon sticks and stir until fragrant. Add the cardamom, cumin, and rice. Stir well; cook until the spices are aromatic and the rice is mostly opaque. Add water. Bring to a boil, stir well and cover. Place in the oven and cook for 13 minutes. If done, fluff with a fork, and season with salt to taste.
• Place a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 tablespoon of oil. When shimmering, add the pasta. Let it cook undisturbed for about a minute, or until it begins to get brown and a little crusty on the bottom. Toss well, and cook until it is toasty and slightly chewy. Transfer pasta to a bowl.
• Add another 1/2 tablspoon of oil to the pan. When shimmering, add the lentils and cook them until they are slightly toasted, about 30 seconds a side. Transfer them to another bowl.
• Scoop out some rice onto a plate. Top with a scoop of pasta, lentils, tomato sauce, and some of the caramelized onions.

KOSHARI - LENTILS AND RICE WITH TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Place lentils in saucepan with 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Allow to simmer on low for 30 minutes, or until tender. Add rice to the lentils and cook for another 20 minutes or so, until rice is tender.
• Meanwhile, cook macaroni according to package directions to an al dente stage.
• Combine lentils, rice and macaroni in large pot.
• Saute onions and garlic in pan in olive oil until browned.
• Add tomato sauce to onions and garlic and heat until bubbling. Remove from heat.
• Place a serving of lentil mixture on a plate and cover with sauce. Sprinkle red pepper on top and serve.