Iftar recipe of the day: Koshari

Serves: 4 | Preparation /cooking time: 45 mins | Difficulty: easy

Olive oil

3 small onions, finely chopped

6 cloves garlic, sliced

6 tomatoes, finely chopped 

1 tsp chilli flakes

2 tsp chopped parsley 

30g vermicelli 

150g Egyptian rice, washed

50g cooked macaroni 

50g cooked broken spaghetti

50g cooked chickpeas

100g cooked green lentils

1. Make the garnish by heating some olive oil in a pan and frying half of the onions and garlic until crisp and caramelised. 

2. To make the spicy tomato sauce, heat a little olive oil in another pan and fry the remaining onions until soft. Add 1 tablespoon of chopped garlic and fry until aromatic. Add the tomato and chilli flakes and cook until it becomes a thick sauce. Season.

3. Blend the sauce in a food processor to make it smooth or leave it as it is for a chunky consistency. Finish with the parsley. If you like, also make a milder version of the sauce without the chilli flakes. 

4. For the rice, fry the vermicelli in a little oil. Add the rice and 250ml of water. Bring to the boil and season, then simmer until a light film forms on top. Turn the heat down to its lowest setting. Cover and steam for another 20 minutes. Do not stir.

5. Combine the rice with the cooked pasta, chickpeas and lentils. Top with fried onions and garlic.  

6. Serve with the freshly made tomato sauce and others as desired.

Tip: To make the tangy garlic sauce, mix three finely chopped garlic cloves and 1 teaspoon each of ground cumin and coriander with 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Finish with olive oil.