Koshari with rice, pasta and lentils

Ingredients

For 8 servings.

• 300 g dried green lentils
• 250 ml sunflower oil for frying the onions
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 100 g egg-free vermicelli
• 400 g short-grain rice, rinsed
• 100 g egg-free macaroni
• 1 small onion, coarsely grated
• 1 tsp ground cumin for the rice
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 100 g egg-free spaghetti
• 1 × 400 g can chickpeas, drained
• A drizzle of sunflower oil for the tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic for the tomato sauce
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• 500 ml tomato passata
• 60 ml white vinegar for the tomato sauce
• ¼ tsp ground cumin for the tomato sauce
• 125 ml water for the tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic for the daa’ah sauce
• 60 ml white vinegar for the daa’ah
• Lemon juice to taste
• ½ tsp ground cumin for the daa’ah
• 120 ml water for the daa’ah
• Boiling water for soaking and cooking the grains, as needed

Step-by-step method

1. Rinse the lentils, cover them with freshly boiled water and soak for 1 hour. Drain before adding them to the rice.
2. Make the tomato sauce: warm a drizzle of oil in a saucepan and cook its garlic until fragrant. Stir in the coriander, passata, 125 ml water, 60 ml vinegar and ¼ tsp cumin. Season and keep over a low heat.
3. For the daa’ah, put its garlic, vinegar, lemon, cumin and 120 ml water in a second saucepan. Bring to a boil, season and remove from the heat.
4. Toss the sliced onions with the cornflour. Heat the 250 ml oil in a wide saucepan and fry the onions in batches if needed until golden. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
5. Remove about half the frying oil. Add the vermicelli, rice, drained lentils, macaroni, grated onion, cumin, salt and pepper to the pan and stir to distribute them.
6. Pour in boiling water to reach about 1 cm above the ingredients. Place the spaghetti on top, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the rice and lentils are tender; extend the cooking and adjust the water if necessary.
7. Fluff the mixture gently with a fork and divide among bowls. Spoon over the tomato sauce and daa’ah.
8. Top with the chickpeas and crisp onions. Serve any remaining sauce alongside.