Egyptian Koshari

📝 Ingredients

• 250 g green lentils
• 250 g long-grain rice + 450 ml water
• 200 g small dried pasta (such as elbow macaroni)
• 1 tin chickpeas (265 g drained)
• 3 brown onions (about 150 g each)
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes (400 g)
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 4 tbsp sunflower oil (3 for the onions, 1 for the sauce)
• 2 tsp ground cumin (1 for the lentils, 1 for the sauce)
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar (1 for the tomato sauce, 1 for the chilli sauce)
• 2 tsp harissa (for the chilli sauce)
• Salt, black pepper

🍴 Utensils

• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• 4 saucepans (1 of them large)
• Colander
• Small bowl
• Large deep dish

📖 Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Slice the onions thinly, 2 to 3 mm thick, spread them on a baking tray lined with baking paper, drizzle with 3 tbsp oil, season with salt and toss with your hands to coat well.
2. Roast for 30 to 35 min, stirring every 10 min, until the onions are golden brown and crisp at the edges. Keep an eye on them towards the end: they go from golden to burnt very quickly.
3. Meanwhile, rinse the lentils and put them in a saucepan with 1 tsp cumin and 1 L cold water. Bring to the boil and cook for 20 to 25 min over medium heat, until tender but still whole. Season with salt at the end of cooking and drain.
4. Rinse the rice and put it in another saucepan with the 450 ml water and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, cover and cook for 12 min over very low heat, then leave to rest off the heat for 5 min without lifting the lid.
5. Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for the time shown on the packet, tasting to keep it slightly firm, then drain. Rinse and drain the chickpeas.
6. For the sauce, peel and chop the garlic, then fry it gently for 1 min over medium heat in a small saucepan with 1 tbsp oil, without letting it colour. Add 1 tsp cumin, the tomato purée and the tomatoes, simmer for 15 min over low heat, then add 1 tbsp vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
7. Pour 6 tbsp tomato sauce into a small bowl and stir in the harissa and 1 tbsp vinegar: this is the chilli sauce, served separately for those who like it hot.
8. In a large deep dish, layer the rice, then the lentils and the pasta. Spoon over the hot tomato sauce, scatter with chickpeas and top generously with the golden onions. Serve immediately with the chilli sauce on the side.