OMG is my husband/Algerians out of the loop or what?!?!

[Together4ever 1]

I'm in deep trouble. Mohammed adores kochari and I can't stand it. It was the only food in Egypt I can say I didn't like. He says no problem, just more for him. I did master mahshi however.

[noura 0]

don't you all know we're fasting????? stop w/ the food pics already!!! I'm hungry and there's abt 7 hrs til I can break fast!

[ya falaha! 0]

You know it actually makes it easier for me to fast when I talk about food. I'm weird I guess

don't you all know we're fasting????? stop w/ the food pics already!!! I'm hungry and there's abt 7 hrs til I can break fast!

For you Liz..the rest of the koshari recipe to go along with the sauce. It's delicious!!

This is the garnishment for the top. It adds soo much to the flavor of the dish. I make this first to get it out of the way.

3 large onions sliced into rings.

Put some oil in a large pan add one tablespoon of butter for added taste.

Sautee the onions rings until they turn deep deep brown (just short of charred).

Make sure that the onion rings do not overlap each other so that they can crisp nicely.

If your pan is too small do it in batches.

No part of the onions should be even lightly brown.

Stir to keep them from burning.

This may take 20 minutes or more.

You must taste something that reminds you of candy rather than onions.

Drain on a paper towel and keep others from taking samples.

In my experience that is the one ingredient that runs out the first.

It should be somewhat crispy not soggy and limp.

Here's the main ingredients.

2 cups basmati rice washed

2 cups brown lentils washed

2 1/2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup vermicelli pasta

1 small can of chick peas, drained (optional)

1/2 cup cooked elbow macaroni or any other small pasta that you like. I use tubini (optional)

Fry the vermicelli in the butter, when golden brown add the rice and stir till all grains are coated. If I'm in a hurry I skip that part and just make the rice plain.

Add 3 cups of water bring to a boil, cover and simmer on lowest possible setting.

Add 1 1/2 cups of water to the lentils and cover and cook (really it is a steaming method) on lowest setting until tender (but not until they burst) in the last 10 minutes of cooking add the chickpeas if any.

When the lentils are done drain any remaining liquid.

To assemble you can just mix it all but because everything is tender, the lentils, rice and chickpeas may breakdown and look unsightly.

Instead make a layer of each of the ingerdients (rice, lentils, chickpeas, macaroni) with a sloted spoon and spread on the serving dish in layers.

Making layers also allows you to have the koshari in the exact proportions that you like.

I have an excellent recipe for the sauce. It tastes just like I had in Cairo. I made it for a friend of mine who is also married to an Egyptian and she also says it tastes just like the sauce in Cairo. I'll post it for ya. The secret for the tang is vinegar.

Ok here's the recipe for the koshari sauce.

1 large can of whole peeled or crushed tomatoes

2 Tablespoons hot chili paste (I use Mexican chipotle sauce in a can. I like mine spicy so I use the whole can.)

1/4 cup of oil

8 cloves of garlic sliced (or more)

3 Tablespoons vinegar

1 Tablepoon of ground cumin

Salt pepper to taste

Fry the sliced garlic in oil until they start changing color.

Add the can of tomatoes and the chili paste, salt and pepper.

Bring to a gentle boil, turn the heat down to low.

Add the cumin and the vinegar, leave it simmering for 15 minutes.

Put it all in the blender to make a smooth mix.

At this point you can still adjust the ingredients to suit your own taste, in particular the garlic, chili and vinegar.

Ok, this sauce looks delicious. Doyou have the recipe for what to put it in or on too?

[UmmSqueakster 54]

We need to create a new disclaimer *warning food content*

[Jenn! 918]

We need to create a new disclaimer *warning food content*

Henia already thought of that! (see topic title )

[sarah and hicham 3]

She is too hungry to see the topic title haha. Hang in there Rahma, I hope you had a nice birthday!

[UmmSqueakster 54]

We need to create a new disclaimer *warning food content*

Henia already thought of that! (see topic title )

LOL, that shows my reading comprehension skills

[meauxna 15]

Yum! More recipes, please!

Reminds me of eating in Greece.. (just remember, the Greeks claim they invented ALL of this <koff>)

[ya falaha! 0]

The Greeks and the Turks...of course you know how that goes.

[MrsAmera 41]

Henia - I think as a rule North African food is very different than Middle Eastern food. I've been disapointed many times when going into ME restaurants and not finding anything that even looks close to what I've eaten in Morocco. It's a whole other food world in North Africa, which makes sense. I've found a lot of Moroccan food definetely has more African roots (from making west african food) and a lot of European (french) influence too. So we can't bunch them together. The NA culinary group must branch out to be the N/A girls LOL

[meauxna 15]

The Greeks and the Turks...of course you know how that goes.

shhhhh!

Remember: it's 'greek coffee".

You wouldn't believe the number of fights on that topic I've seen on the Usenet groups...

[UmmSqueakster 54]

I have an excellent recipe for the sauce. It tastes just like I had in Cairo. I made it for a friend of mine who is also married to an Egyptian and she also says it tastes just like the sauce in Cairo. I'll post it for ya. The secret for the tang is vinegar.

jazakAllah khair! I'm definately going to try this this weekend. Full of garlic, just the way I like it *mmmm*

[Henia 11]

Oh man, food discussion. Tummy rumbling...need...

mahshi

koshari (my first meal every time I go to egypt)

tamiya

and shwerma

mmmm

*makes plans to have iftar at ME buffet this friday*

Mmmmmm I want some!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Henia - I think as a rule North African food is very different than Middle Eastern food. I've been disapointed many times when going into ME restaurants and not finding anything that even looks close to what I've eaten in Morocco. It's a whole other food world in North Africa, which makes sense. I've found a lot of Moroccan food definetely has more African roots (from making west african food) and a lot of European (french) influence too. So we can't bunch them together. The NA culinary group must branch out to be the N/A girls LOL

Ye syou are right Amera... I was just thinking commom dishes like hummous bi tahina and falafel would be known since all over world... who knew? LOL

And yuk is it just me or are NA way tooooooooo sweet? I like my sweet donnot get me wrong but since coming here everyone I try all i taste is orange blossom water and way too much sugar. I mean I cannot even eat any more sweets... I am inchallah trying to duplicate them at home (with the little tools I have) but will like 60% less sugar ... And hmm another question.... Why are people here, more importantly my husband wanting to "tarts" which are really not tarts at all...but yucky artifical flavoured pudding inside of puff pastry with various, which I may add does not even belong on tart (ie: grapes) ... Mmmm if I only had some cakes and tart pans......... %^$&&&&^%@&*^_)@*

[zyggy 9]

The Greeks and the Turks...of course you know how that goes.

shhhhh!

Remember: it's 'greek coffee".

You wouldn't believe the number of fights on that topic I've seen on the Usenet groups...

Yeah.. when I was in Cyprus.. it was Cyrpus Coffee... chuckle... crazy stuff..

[MrsAmera 41]

Well as far as the baking goes - it is very French influenced probably even more in Algeria than Morocco, a lot of the baked goods I've eaten in Morocco I've also had in France so I think that's where that influence is from. They just change the fruits a bit (like grape or date filling). You are right it is sooo sweet, my husband says that now especially because of Ramadan they haul out the really sweet stuff. It does get sickening (at least to me) after awhile. I really don't like the orange water oil so I try to avoid it at all costs lol! Sometimes I just couldn't take the food/cooking style and had to whip up something more to my liking!