Koshari (also spelled Koshary or Kushari) is the national dish of Egypt. It’s served in virtually every Egyptian restaurant, in every Egyptian home, and on every Egyptian street corner. Street vendors serve the dish from carts to people eagerly waiting in line to eat this beloved and highly popular dish. An unusual combination, Koshari mixes lentils, macaroni noodles and rice into a single dish and it’s then topped with a spicy tomato sauce that uses a special Middle Eastern spice blend, garbanzo beans, and fried onions. The idea sounds strange…until you taste it. Then you’ll know why this dish is a favorite among Egyptians.
Koshary
Koshary is one of the most traditional dishes for any meal in Egypt. It consists of rice, lentils, pasta, and onions, layered and covered in tomato sauce. It’s eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Koshary is a working-class staple in Egypt, sold from street food stalls, dished up in restaurants, and a go-to dish in homes.
The preparation of Koshary on the streets is both a sight and sound experience.The cart or side-street eatery is lined with large containers of each of the dish’s ingredients. The Koshary man then proceeds to scoop each ingredient onto a metal bowl and knocks his metal on the side of the plate after each item, making a symphony of Koshary sounds that attracts tourists to each cart. During busy hours, vendors compile a whole Koshary plate in under 5 seconds! With that same ease, you can make your won Koshary at home, once all of the ingredients are cooked, of cours