kushari/koshary/kosheri/koshari

Ingredient #1: rice (with vermicelli)

Ingredient #2: two types of pasta

Ingredients #3 & 4: lentils & chickpeas

Topping: fried onions

A humble dish from Egypt, kushari was on the top of the "things to eat" list while visiting family.  Like all unofficial national foods (makes me think of pizza and bagels in NYC/NJ), everyone has her own opinion on where the best kushari can be found.  We did our job and tried as many places as our stomachs would allow so we could judge for ourselves.

Condiments: hot sauce, garlic infused vinegar, sea salt

Add to your liking: tangy tomato sauce

First Taste of Kushari - Leftovers "re-fried" at A+Ls

Before the Condiments Are Added

Take-Out Kushari For a Long Bus Ride, Dahab

 So far, we've like all of the kusharis sampled.  We have not yet made this dish at home (I'm a bit intimidated of crisping up onions for the topping).  Luckily, we have been able to find kushari in Riyadh - the campus restaurant serves up a delicious version and we found an Egyptian spot that serves it up as well.  The downside to the Egyptian restaurant is that it is for men only, so we had to get ours for take-out.  Please try to imagine the torture it is to drive home on the busy streets after midnight during Ramadan, stomach crying out from the smell of garlic and spicy sauce floating in the air circulating in the car. 

Leftovers

A simple dish to start out the morning. Looking in the refrigerator I spot a pot of leftover risotto. Leftover risotto is a wonderful thing - sticky and moist, it can stand up to a good pan fry. [Rice is always a good leftover staple, think fried rice.] The original swiss chard risotto was very basic, made with Arborio rice, swiss chard from the garden, and (store bought) vegetable stock. This morning, I formed small patties of risotto, dipped them into an egg wash, then into breadcrumbs slightly seasoned with parmigiano reggiano, salt, and pepper. The patties were then pan fried in olive oil. Slightly crunchy on the outside, warm and still moist on the inside.

Dave's Spanish style rice

I grew up eating basmati rice. The rice cooker was used at least once a day and when the smell of rice was present, you knew a meal was soon to be ready. After living in Japan, I was exposed to Japanese style rice and their amazing rice cookers. As a result, my kitchen now must house both basmati and Japanese rice at all times, utilizing the most appropriate one depending on the accompanying dish. And yes, I use the Japanese rice cooker for both types of rice. This rice dish was actually made with jasmine rice. The Korean grocer in our neighborhood does not carry basmati, so I bought this bag when in a pinch. The size of the grain and its texture worked out perfectly for Dave’s Spanish style rice. I love this dish - I associate non-plain rice with special occasions. Maybe because I remember my father telling me that the yellow, sweet saffron rice that he would cook was traditionally only eaten at weddings and other special occasions due to the cost of saffron and the resulting color of the dish. Briyani was also cooked only on occasions in our home [however, he now cooks it more frequently than when I was younger. Could it be because it is a special occasion when I visit the home? I will have to ask]. In Japan, azuki bean rice is also reserved celebrations. Wonderfully salty, this rice dish packs a punch with beans, cayenne pepper, and other lovely spices. This time, when cooking the spices we included Thai basil seeds.

prep work for Dave's Spanish Rice