The BEST Koshari in the world - Egyptian Vegan Street Food

Ingredients

• 225 g Dried Chickpeas (Soak in room‑temperature water for 8–12 hours, then drain. Use canned chickpeas (750 g) as a shortcut.)
• 750 g Canned Chickpeas (Rinse well before cooking. Use instead of dried chickpeas to skip soaking.)
• 1 piece Large Plum Tomato (Adds depth to the chickpea cooking broth.)
• 22 cloves Garlic (Divided: 10 for smooth sauce, 5 for spicy sauce, 7 for da sauce.)
• 7 large Onion (6–8 onions for frying; keep a handful aside for the rice base.)
• 6 tsp Ground Cumin (Used in chickpeas, lentils, onion seasoning, and da sauce.)
• 4.5 tsp Salt (Divided among chickpeas, lentils, onions, da sauce, and rice.)
• 1 tsp Cayenne Chili Powder (Half tsp for chickpeas, half tsp for da sauce.)
• 0.25 tsp Black Pepper (Season the smooth garlic‑tomato sauce.)
• 6 tbsp White Vinegar (4 tbsp for smooth sauce, 2 tbsp for spicy sauce, 1/3 cup for da sauce.)
• 800 g Crushed Tomatoes (For the smooth garlic‑tomato sauce.)
• 400 g Chopped Tomatoes (For the chunky spicy tomato sauce.)
• 1 tsp Ground Coriander (Part of the da sauce.)
• 0.25 cup Lemon Juice (Freshly squeezed; adds tang to da sauce.)
• 250 g Brown/Dark Lentils (Also called black or brown lentils; keep the cooking liquid.)
• 175 g Vermicelli (thin pasta noodles) (Toast in oil until golden brown.)
• 175 g Egyptian or Medium‑Grain Rice (Rinse and dry for at least 1 hour before cooking.)
• 250 g Small Tube Pasta (Ditalini or similar) (Cook al dente, then fold into the rice base.)
• 2 cup Vegetable Oil (For deep‑frying onions; keep about 1/4 cup in pot for the rice base.)
• 8 tbsp Olive Oil or Butter (4 tbsp for each tomato sauce; butter optional for richer flavor.)
• 1 piece Fresh Green Chili (Thinly sliced; adjust quantity for heat level.)
• as needed Water (For soaking chickpeas, cooking lentils, rice, and pasta.)

Instructions

1. Soak Dried Chickpeas (skip if using canned)

   Place 225 g dried chickpeas in a large bowl, cover with plenty of room‑temperature water and let soak for 8–12 hours. Drain before cooking.

   Time: PT8H

2. Cook Chickpeas

   In a large pot, add enough water to cover the chickpeas, bring to a rapid boil, then add the soaked chickpeas (or rinsed canned chickpeas), one whole plum tomato, 2 minced garlic cloves, both halves of one onion, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp cayenne. Reduce to a simmer and cook 1–2 hours, adding more water if needed, until the chickpeas are very soft and can be crushed between fingers.

   Time: PT1H30M

   Temperature: high heat until boiling, then simmer

3. Cook Brown Lentils

   Fill a pot with about 2 L water, bring to a boil, add 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp ground cumin, then add 250 g brown lentils. Boil 30–60 minutes, checking at 30 minutes for an almost‑al dente texture. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid.

   Time: PT45M

   Temperature: high heat until boiling, then simmer

4. Prepare Garlic‑Tomato Sauce (Smooth)

   Heat 4 tbsp oil or butter in a saucepan over medium‑high heat. Add 10 minced garlic cloves and sauté 1 minute until fragrant. Add 4 tbsp white vinegar to deglaze, then stir in 800 g crushed tomatoes. Season with 1 tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Simmer 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.

   Time: PT25M

   Temperature: medium‑high

5. Prepare Spicy Tomato Sauce (Chunky)

   Heat another 4 tbsp oil in a saucepan over medium‑high. Add 5 minced garlic cloves and thinly sliced green chili; sauté a few minutes until aromatic. Add 2 tbsp white vinegar, then 400 g chopped tomatoes. Simmer 20 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens and remains chunky.

   Time: PT20M

   Temperature: medium‑high

6. Make Da (Garlic‑Vinegar) Sauce

   In a jug, combine 7 minced garlic cloves, ⅓ cup white vinegar, ⅓ cup water, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp cayenne, and ½ tsp salt. Whisk until fully blended. Set aside.

   Time: PT5M

7. Slice & Season Onions for Frying

   Peel 6–8 large onions, slice them into long strips against the grain. Place strips in a large bowl, add 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp black pepper, and 2 tsp salt. Mix thoroughly, then let sit 30 minutes to draw out moisture.

   Time: PT30M

8. Fry Onions Until Crispy

   Fill a deep pot with vegetable oil to a depth of ~1.5 cm and heat over high heat until shimmering. Pat onion strips dry with paper towels, then fry in batches 8–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden‑brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon onto a paper‑towel‑lined tray, then transfer to a second tray to drain further.

   Time: PT20M

   Temperature: high heat

9. Toast Vermicelli

   After draining the fried onions, pour off most of the oil from the pot, leaving about ¼ cup. Return the pot to medium‑high heat, add the reserved handful of raw onion strips and sauté briefly. Add 175 g vermicelli and stir‑fry 3–4 minutes until it turns golden brown.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: medium‑high

10. Combine Rice and Remaining Ingredients

    Add 175 g washed and dried medium‑grain rice to the pot with vermicelli. Mix until evenly distributed. Stir in 3–4 tbsp of the smooth garlic‑tomato sauce and 3–4 tbsp of the da sauce. Then add the cooked lentils, mixing gently. Finally, pour in the reserved lentil cooking liquid and enough water so the rice/vermicelli is just submerged. Add 1 tsp salt and give a final stir.

    Time: PT8M

11. Steam Rice‑Vermicelli Base

    Cover the pot with a tight‑fitting lid. Bring to a rapid boil over high heat, then reduce to low and let steam for 20–30 minutes. If excess liquid remains after 20 minutes, uncover and let evaporate; if too dry, add a splash of water and steam a few more minutes.

    Time: PT25M

    Temperature: high to boil, then low

12. Cook Small‑Tube Pasta

    Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add 250 g small tube pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente (about 8–10 minutes). Drain and set aside.

    Time: PT10M

    Temperature: high heat

13. Fold Pasta Into Rice Base

    Add half of the cooked pasta to the rice‑vermicelli pot, gently fold to combine (avoid crushing the rice). Add the remaining pasta and mix until evenly distributed.

    Time: PT5M

14. Plate the Koshari

    Spoon a generous mound of the rice‑pasta base onto a serving platter. Drizzle several large spoonfuls of the smooth garlic‑tomato sauce, then add dollops of the spicy tomato sauce and the da sauce. Top with a heap of the cooked chickpeas and finish with a generous handful of the crispy fried onions.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

620

Protein

20 g

Carbohydrates

110 g

Fat

15 g

Fiber

12 g