Protopantry Koshary

Koshary (alternative transliteration: koshari) is Egypt’s most popular street food. Traditionally, it’s made with at least two types of legumes, but I’ve taken some pantry-oriented liberties to streamline the ingredients for an easy koshary recipe.

Ubiquitous in Cairo, this blend of rice, beans, pasta, and fried onions in punchy tomato and garlic sauces is surprisingly easy to eat. It also feeds a crowd for very little money. (double the recipe). You’ll dirty a few dishes, but you’ll come back for a second helping—guaranteed.

Yield: About 4-5 servings

Time: About 50 minutes

Ingredients

For the base

• 1 cup brown rice, uncooked

• 1 15.5-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

• 3 cups pasta, uncooked (small shapes like macaroni or ditalini are best, but feel free to use your favorite shape, or cut larger shapes into smaller pieces once cooked)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin

• Salt to taste

• Pepper to taste

For the tomato sauce

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped finely

• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced (2-3 teaspoons)

• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes with juices (or two smaller cans), pureed with a blender or food processor

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 1 teaspoon cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• Salt to taste

• Pepper to taste

For the dakka (garlic sauce)

• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced (2-3 teaspoons)

• 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

• 3 tablespoons water

• Salt to taste

For the fried onions

• 2 1/2 large yellow onions, sliced thinly into strips or rings

• 1/4 cup corn starch

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more to coat onions thoroughly

Instructions

For the base

1. In two separate pots, cook the pasta and brown rice according to package instructions.

2. When the rice is finished, add the chickpeas, olive oil, spices, salt, and pepper, and mix well, warming the chickpeas over low heat.

3. Put the pasta and rice-chickpea mixture in separate oven-safe serving bowls and place, covered, in an oven at 200 degrees Fahrenheit when finished to keep warm.

For the tomato sauce

1. While the base ingredients cook, add the olive oil to a medium sauce pan over medium heat.

2. When the oil shimmers. add the onion and cook until translucent, stirring frequently.

3. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

4. Add all of the remaining tomato sauce ingredients to the onions and garlic, and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Keep the sauce warm over low heat until all remaining components are finished.

For the dakka (garlic sauce)

1. Add all of the ingredients to a small bowl and stir vigorously to combine.

For the fried onions

1. In a large mixing bowl, sprinkle the salt over the onion slices.

2. Sprinkle the corn starch over the onion slices one small spoonful at a time, tossing gently with your hands to distribute. Continue to add the cornstarch until all of the onion slices are very lightly coated.

3. Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat.

4. When the oil begins to sizzle, add the onions to the skillet. Fry the onions, stirring frequently, until they are brown and crisp. Add additional oil if the onions aren’t fully coated along with the bottom of the skillet.

To finish

1. We suggest serving each component separately to allow everyone to assemble their own koshary, layering the ingredients as desired.

2. Typically, the pasta layer will go near the bottom, followed by the rice and chickpeas, then tomato sauce and dakka, then fried onions.

Did you make this recipe? Be sure to tag us on instagram @theprotopantry and use the #protopantry hashtag. Happy cooking!

Everything on protopantry.com is made using our 50-ingredient minimalist pantry list. We have recipes from all over the world and for most dietary needs—explore here.