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Post by mach12 on Apr 8, 2020 12:32:43 GMT -5
I posted about this in the Samoor recipe thread but thought it ought to be in its own thread to make it easier to find, plus it would be a good place to post any other ideas or methods out there. This is a cut and paste of the recipe that was printed on a bag of rice I bought at the Carrefour market near me when I lived in Cairo. It's a nice variation. If you have any ghee (clarified butter), that works really well for butter (my preference when I have it).
Egyptian Method of Cooking Rice (From Egyptian Eldoha Brand Calrose Medium Grained White Rice Package)
1 Cup Rice
2 Tablespoons Butter or Oil
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Cups Water
1. Put oil or butter in 2 liter pan, heat until melted (or oil is well warmed)
2. Add ½ of the rice and heat until it becomes a golden color
3. Add the remaining rice and mix well
4. Add the water and salt, cover and heat over low heat 15-20 minutes until water is absorbed and rice is cooked
5. Remove from heat, leave covered for 5 minutes, then serve hot
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Post by vaporvac on Apr 9, 2020 9:26:14 GMT -5
mach12, this is how I generally cook rice adding some sliced onion and reducing the water somewhat. Few things are better than well-cooked rice. I love that you saved the recipe. I also saute all the rice, but not always all at once! Fine vermicelli noodles are also delicious sauteed til golden prior to sauteeing the rice. In this case, I focus on just covering the rice with the chosen fat and getting just a tinge of colour if any so that there's a contrast in both colour and taste with the fine pasta. The vermicelli is also a wonderful addition to rice pudding.
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Post by mach12 on Apr 9, 2020 10:49:05 GMT -5
I add vermicelli to rice when I make koshari but I've always made it separate and stirred it in. I haven't made koshari for quite awhile so just bought the ingredients, including a fresh package of vermicelli, so am going to try doing it with the rice! I think I've posted the koshari recipe before but here's one I give people who want to try it. I make koshari the way the shop near my apartment in Cairo taught me and it's a bit more involved but this is a really good one and really close to what you get in Cairo. One of my granddaughters doesn't eat meat so I make this when she and her family come to visit and everybody loves it. This is what it looks like when served in Cairo. It's layered into the bowl and then served topped with fried onions (I've been known to use the French's fried onions you buy in a container...) It is made of lentils, rice and tomato sauce and can be spicy. Koshari is a fast food meal in the Middle East, and is offered by street vendors in cities like Cairo. There are many variations, but this recipe is great and relatively easy. INGREDIENTS: 1 cup lentils 1 cup white rice 1 cup uncooked macaroni (orzo or elbows) 1 large onion, diced 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 1/2 cups tomato sauce 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper or teaspoon hot sauce PREPARATION: Place lentils in saucepan and bring to a boil. Allow to simmer on low for 30 minutes, or until tender. While, lentils are cooking, also cook white rice in 2 cups of water, or according to package directions. Also, cook macaroni noodles in until al dente. Combine lentils, rice and macaroni in large pot. Saute onions and garlic in pan in olive oil until browned. Add tomato sauce to onions and garlic and heat until bubbling. Remove from heat. Place a serving of lentil mixture on a plate and cover with sauce. Sprinkle red pepper on top and serve.
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Post by Chuckie on Apr 9, 2020 21:05:03 GMT -5
INGREDIENTS: 1 cup lentils 1 cup white rice 1 cup uncooked macaroni (orzo or elbows) 1 large onion, diced 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 1/2 cups tomato sauce 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper or teaspoon hot sauce PREPARATION: Place lentils in saucepan and bring to a boil. Allow to simmer on low for 30 minutes, or until tender. While, lentils are cooking, also cook white rice in 2 cups of water, or according to package directions. Also, cook macaroni noodles in until al dente. Combine lentils, rice and macaroni in large pot. Saute onions and garlic in pan in olive oil until browned. Add tomato sauce to onions and garlic and heat until bubbling. Remove from heat. Place a serving of lentil mixture on a plate and cover with sauce. Sprinkle red pepper on top and serve. ...looking @ the PHOTO, it appears there's perhaps some CHICKPEAS in there TOO---per Monkey... T-or-F? CHEERS! Chuckie
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Post by vaporvac on Apr 9, 2020 22:15:13 GMT -5
LOL!!! What kind of lentils?
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Post by mach12 on Apr 10, 2020 1:31:49 GMT -5
You're right Chuckie! I never noticed the recipe was missing chickpeas and I always put them in. Shows you how closely I followed it I guess.
Here's the full, proper, by the book recipe. It also calls for doing the vermicelli with the rice but darned if I remember doing it that way. I must really be losing it!
Things to Know about Koshary:
• Alternate names/spellings include Kushari, Koshari, Kosheri, Kusharee, Koushari and probably a few others. All are correct and perfectly acceptable.
• When prepared in the restaurants in Cairo, Koshary contains 8 separately prepared components:
1. Rice w/Vermicelli 2. Pasta 3. Lentils 4. Tomato Sauce 5. Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) 6. Fried Onion Garnish 7. Spicy Tomato Sauce topping 8. Garlic-Lime (Lemon) Sauce topping
• In Egypt, how Koshary is prepared and served is considered a cooking art, so the preparation and steps in the restaurants are often embellished to demonstrate mastery of the art.
• When served, Koshary is assembled in layers with each layer a bit smaller in diameter so that it forms a slight dome on the plate or in the bowl.
1. Rice w/vermicelli is first, so will be on the bottom; 2. Pasta is second; 3. Lentils are third; 4. Tomato Sauce is fourth: scoop at least a few tablespoons (more with bigger servings) onto the top; 5. Chickpeas are fifth: sprinkle on according to preference (a couple of tablespoons); 6. Fried Onions are on the top – again according to preference.
• On the table should be a container of warm tomato sauce so that each person can add some if they wish. There should also be some of the hot tomato sauce and the garlic-lemon sauce for each person to add, again according to their preference. There should be a shaker of cumin, another of salt (they’re actually in small bowls on the table in Egypt and you pinch out how much you want and sprinkle it on). Finally, there should be a large pitcher of cold water and glasses or cups. Traditionally, the plates, bowls, pitcher and glasses or cups are metal.
• No matter what you hear or read, Olive Oil is never used making koshary. The Cairo shops all seem to use corn oil.
Koshary Recipe
Serves 4 (Large servings):
Ingredients:
Hot Sauce:
1 ½ Cups Water 6 oz. Can Tomato Paste 2 Tablespoons Oil 1 Teaspoon (or more to taste) Cayenne Pepper 1 Teaspoon Cumin Powder ½ Teaspoon Coriander Powder 1 Teaspoon Dried Parsley Flakes
Garlic Lemon Sauce:
8 Cloves Garlic, crushed 1/4 Cup White Vinegar 1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil 1/2 Cup Water Juice from 6 to 8 Limes (golf ball size) or 2 Large Lemons (limes are traditional) 2 Heaping Teaspoons Cumin Powder Pinch of salt
Lentils:
1 Cup Dry Brown Lentils, Washed (Black or Green Lentils Optional) 1 Tablespoon Cumin 1 Clove Garlic, Crushed 4 Cups Water 2 Tablespoons White Vinegar (Optional)
Rice/Vermicelli:
1 ½ Cup Rice (Short or Medium Grain) Egyptian (short) or Calrose (medium) are most common) ¼ Cup Vermicelli Noodles, Crushed to short pieces) 1 Tablespoon Corn or Sunflower Oil 1 Chicken or Vegetable Stock Cube (Optional) (Note – for Vegan koshary do not use chicken stock) 2 Cups Water Salt & Pepper
Onions:
2 Large Onions, diced ½ Teaspoon Salt ¼ Cup Corn or Sunflower Oil *Note – Reserve Oil for Use with Pasta
Pasta:
2 Cups Ditanlini Pasta (Elbow Macaroni Optional) and Broken Up Vermicelli Pasta 2 Quarts Water, salted Oil from Frying of Onions
Chickpeas:
1 Can Chickpeas, rinsed -Or- 1 Cup Dried Chickpeas, rinsed and then soaked 8 hours
Red Tomato Sauce:
1 Onion, diced 2 Cloves Garlic, diced or crushed 1 Tablespoon Corn or Sunflower Oil 2 Cans Tomatoes, juiced 1 Small Carton Tomato Juice Concentrate 1 Cup Water Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
-Or-
1 Can Tomato Sauce (about 2 cups) (29 oz. can/1 lb. 13 oz/822 grams) 1 1/2 Cup Water 2 Tablespoons Corn or Sunflower Oil 1 Large Onion, diced 2 (or more, up to 7) Cloves Garlic, crushed 1 Tablespoon White Vinegar Salt & Pepper Dash of Cayenne Pepper
Cooking Instructions:
For the tangy garlic sauce – the “takhdi’ah”
- Peel and crush 8-10 cloves of garlic - Mix with the juice of the 6 limes (or 2 lemons) - Season with salt and two heaped teaspoon of cumin - Add 1/4 Cup White Vinegar (Optional – Add spoonfuls from the red sauce into the mixture. Start tasting after 12 spoonfuls. When you like the taste, stop. Add a drop of oil to give it a shine). - Put sauce in small pitcher or container and serve on the side so that each person can add according to their preference.
For the hot sauce: 1 1/2 cups water 4 Tbsp tomato puree 1Tbsp olive oil 1 tsp (or more, depending upon your heat tolerance) hot chili powder/cayenne pepper
• Put ingredients together in a small sauce pan, heat and simmer about 10 minutes. • Put sauce in small pitcher or container and serve on the side so that each person can add according to their preference.
For the Lentils:
• Place water in a pot and add cumin and crushed garlic (1 diced onion optional) • Rinse the lentils and clean of any stick, stones, etc. and put them in the pot • Bring the lentils to boil in water then simmer (20 minutes), taking care not to over-cook
For the Rice/Vermicelli:
• In the cooking pot for the rice, fry ½ of the rice briefly in a tablespoon of corn oil. Butter or ghee (clarified butter) is optional. When the rice has slightly puffed and is just starting to get color add the vermicelli. Fry until the rice and vermicelli are golden brown. Be careful since the vermicelli goes quickly from brown to black! Remove from heat. • Stir in the rest of the rice and slowly add two cups of water (and the optional chicken or vegetable stock cube). Season with a little salt if not using chicken or vegetable stock. Place back on heat and bring to a boil. Cook undisturbed on low heat for 20 minutes.
For the Pasta:
• Break some spaghetti into short pieces (about 3-4 inches) • Add spaghetti to Dittanlini or macaroni to total 2 cups • Boil the pasta in salted water until cooked (10-14 minutes)
For the Chickpeas: If Canned are used, drain, rinse, and then put in pan of water, bring just to boil and then turn off heat and allow to sit for 8-10 minutes to heat through. You can also heat in microwave after rinsing.
-Or-
If using dried chickpeas, rinse and place in water to soak for at least 8 hours. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for at least 1 hour and then drain and rinse. For the Red Tomato Sauce:
- Put the juiced tomatoes into a saucepan - Heat corn oil in a frying pan. Dice one onion and fry until golden. Remove from heat and add the 2 cloves garlic. - Pour the mixture into the juiced tomatoes. Add the chicken stock cube to the mixture if desired – really brings out a great flavor. Option: Use vegetable stock cube if preferred or if planning a vegetarian meal. - add one teaspoon of pepper and one ¬teaspoon of salt. (If you like your food hot, this is the moment to add chili/cayenne to taste. I add just a pinch of cayenne and then serve a hot sauce on the side for those who like a bit more spice). - When the sauce has reduced nicely, add half a small carton of tomato ¬concentrate and one and a half cups of water and simmer
For the Onion Garnish:
• Slice one onion into crescents and fry it dry in a frying pan on medium-low heat for about five minutes (this is to get rid of the water in the onion) • Add three tablespoons corn oil and fry until dark brown. Take care not to overcook as the onion goes from dark brown to black fairly quickly. (You may, of course, heat the oil in another frying-pan and add the dried onion to it but it’s not necessary) • Drain the onion of any excess oil, reserving the oil to pour over pasta, and spread on some kitchen paper towels.
To serve:
• Serve on a flat plate or in bowls. Put one layer of pasta, followed by a layer of rice, ¬followed by a layer of lentils and some chick peas. Each layer is slightly smaller than the one below so you have a domed effect. Then spoon on some tomato sauce. Add the fried onions. Serve hot sauce and garlic sauce and warm tomato sauce each in a separate small bowl, jar or pitcher. • Serve with a green salad (preferably dark green, like rocket, spinach, or watercress) and fresh (non-acidic) juice or water. Follow with a glass of fresh mint tea.
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Post by nana on Apr 12, 2020 8:54:46 GMT -5
That is a much more involved, detailed and lengthy recipe than the koshary recipe you posted before, Mach12! I made it before kind of an all in one thing in the thermowell, but now that I have time to cook something that involves so many little dishes and separate items, I think I want to try it the traditional, layered way!
Maybe you could add this to your original koshary post, so it would be easier to find?
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Post by vaporvac on Apr 12, 2020 9:14:39 GMT -5
Excellent idea Nana. I love the additional details. I think I'll make this week since these are the sorts of ingredients I always have. Thanks mach12!
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Post by mach12 on Apr 12, 2020 9:55:06 GMT -5
Let me know how it turns out. I generally post the short recipe because people tell me that the long one is too much hassle. I'll find my original post (can never remember what I've posted where - even 5 minutes after doing it) and add this to it.
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Post by mach12 on Oct 1, 2020 16:15:02 GMT -5
LOL!!! What kind of lentils? Vaporvac, I was just going over this post from earlier this year and noticed that I never answered your question. Man, what a rude dude! I apologize. I have used both green and brown lentils but never tried the black belugas or any of the other varieties. I prefer the brown lentils.
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Post by dwayner2 on Oct 7, 2020 6:25:29 GMT -5
I didn’t read the whole thread but wanted to mention that Spanish rice is first browned in oil and then all the ingredients and water are added and simmered. The more oil you add the better the rice I think.
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