Egyptian Koshari

Chickpeas:
½ cup dried chickpeas or 850 g cans of chickpeas** See Note 3
1 tsp ground cumin
¼ lime
Fried Onions:
340 g onion, about 2 large onions
3 tbsp flour, to toss the onions in prior to frying
Rice bran oil** See Note 5
Salt, to taste
Fresh Red Sauce: (Optional)
225 g tomatoes
85 g green bell pepper
85 g onion
1½ garlic cloves
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tbsp oil from the fried onions
½ lime
SIDS SALT & PEPPER, to taste
½ spicy pepper, optional
Koshari Lentil Rice:
½ cup dried brown lentils
1 cups dry short-grain rice **See Note 4
340 g onion, about 1½ large onions
2 tbsp oil from the fried onions
2 cups water
Pasta:
115 g elbow pasta
115 g dried spaghetti
Traditional Koshari Red Sauce:
500 g tomatoes
1 tbsp ghee
½ tsp chilli flakes
4½ garlic cloves
1½ tbsp tomato paste
1½ tbsp white vinegar
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp sugar
1 tsp SIDS SALT & PEPPER

Soak Dry Lentils and Dry Chickpeas Ahead of Time.
Soak the dried lentils and dried chickpeas in water for 3 hours prior to making koshari.
Prepare the Chickpeas:
See note 3 if using canned chickpeas. Boil the dried chickpeas until semi-cooked. (about 45 minutes to an hour) Drain water.
Add fresh water and the ground cumin. Boil chickpeas a second time for another 30 minutes.
Once chickpeas are cooked, squeeze the lime over the chickpeas.
Fry the Onions:
Chop the onions into circles. Mix with flour and set aside for 30 minutes prior to frying.
Fry in oil. Using a frying spatula, remove the onions from the oil. Set onto a paper towel and set aside. Salt as desired.
Keep the oil to use some of it in other parts of the recipe.
Make the Fresh Red Sauce: (Optional)
Blend the tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, and garlic cloves in the food processor.
If you would like a spicy sauce, add 1 spicy pepper.
Add the ground cumin, ground coriander, oil, (from the fried onions) lime juice, SIDS SALT & PEPPER. Blend and set aside.
Make the Koshari Lentil Rice:
Blend the onions in a food processor.
In a high-rimmed stovetop pot, add the oil. (from the fried onions) Cook the blended onions slowly on LOW for about 10 minutes.
Add the drained brown lentils (these will be about 2¼ cups after being soaked) and water. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes covered, until they soften.
Turn down the heat to medium-low. Add the short-grain rice. Add SIDS SALT & PEPPER. Mix the koshari rice and cover. Continue to cook on medium-low heat covered until the rice is tender. (about 12 to 15 minutes)
Turn off the stove and allow the rice to rest covered for 5 minutes.
Cook the Pasta:
Boil water and add about 1 tablespoon of salt.
Break the spaghetti pasta in half, then break the half again making quarter-size sections of spaghetti. Break about 15 spaghetti noodles at the same time.
Add the spaghetti pasta and elbow pasta to the boiling water. Cook the pasta until desired firmness. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
Koshari Vinegar Red Sauce:
Blend the tomatoes in a blender. Strain tomatoes into a bowl. Mince the garlic cloves.
Fry oil (or ghee) with 1 teaspoon chilli flakes (or chilli powder) for 30 seconds then add the minced garlic cloves.
Add the tomato paste and vinegar for about 30 seconds before adding the blended tomatoes.
Add the ground cumin, ground coriander, sugar, and SIDS SALT & PEPPER. simmer for about 10 minutes.
NOTES:
Store koshari rice, pasta, fresh red sauce, koshari vinegar red sauce, fried onions, and chickpeas separately in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Whole wheat pasta is a suitable substitution.
Substitute 2 cans of chickpeas (15-ounce cans) for 1 cup of dried chickpeas. Because canned chickpeas are already cooked, just drain the chickpeas. Boil for 5 minutes in water with ½ tablespoon of ground cumin, then squeeze ½ a lime on top.
Use Calrose rice, Egyptian rice, or Japanese short-grain rice for this recipe. If using medium or long-grain rice, the water ratio will need to be adjusted.
After frying the onions, save the frying oil. Use some of the frying oil in other parts of the recipe.
The nutrition facts do not factor in the oil from frying the onions.