Gluten-free Koshary Recipe
Koshary, a traditional Egyptian dish, this hearty plant-based dish is made from a mix of lentils, rice, GF pasta, and chickpeas topped with a spicy tomato sauce and fried onions for a slightly crispy finish. It is the perfect combination of carbs, protein, and vegetables, making it the perfect Vegan meal that everyone will enjoy.
Ingredients
Chickpeas ingredients:
- 2 cups chickpeas soaked overnight
- 2 bay leaves
- water enough for boiling the chickpeas
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tsp cumin powder
Lentil rice ingredients:
- ½ kg Egyptian rice rinsed & drained
- 125 grams brown lentils soaked in boiling water for 1 hour
- 125 grams vermicelli noodles gluten-free
- ½ cup olive oil
- 3 cups water
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- 2 tsp bouillon powder
- 2 tsp salt
- 230 grams spaghetti gluten-free
- 125 grams elbow posta gluten-free
- 100 grams ditalini pasta gluten-free
Fried onion ingredients:
- 4 red onions big size
- 2 cups frying oil
Tomato sauce ingredients:
- 680 grams passata
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ¼ cup sweet red pepper paste
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 bay leave
- ¼ tsp clove powder
- ¼ tsp chili powder
Daqah "da'a" ingredients:
- 2 large lemons juiced
- ½ cup white vinegar
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 cup water
Spicy tomato sauce "shatta" ingredients:
- 2 cups of the tomato sauce
- ¾ cup olive oil
- 3 tsp chili powder
- ¼ cup from the Daqa sauce.
Instructions
Instructions for cooking chickpeas:
- Drain the soaked chickpeas and rinse under cold water.
- Transfer to a pan and add enough water to soak them for boiling.
- Let them boil and skim the white foam once it's formed. Add bay leave and lower the heat, cover the pan, and let it simmer till it's cooked, will take about 35 minutes to cook.
- Once it's cooked, turn the heat off and add salt, pepper, and cumin powder, mix and set it aside to cool.
Instructions for making lentil rice:
- While the chickpeas are cooking, start with the lentil rice.
- Mix washed and drained rice with the soaked and drained brown lentils in a bowl and set aside.
- Add olive oil to a hot pan, add vermicelli, and mix. keep stirring the vermicelli in the hot oil till it is golden brown. Gluten-free vermicelli will turn white first before it turns golden brown, it will take around 9 minutes to brown so be patient and keep stirring.
- Add the lentil rice to the golden brown vermicelli and stir, it is important to keep stirring for 4-5 minutes before you add the water. Add water, and the seasoning and stir. let it boil, turn the heat to low, cover the pan, and let it simmer on low heat. It will take around 30-35 minutes till the lentil rice is cooked.
- Cook the pastas according to the package instructions. Once cooked transfer to a pan and add olive oil and stir them . Make sure not to over cook the gluten free pasta so it wont stick , adding olive oil and the end will keep it fluff and it wont stick while the rest of ingredients are cooking.
Instructions for cooking the fried onion:
- While the rice is cooking start with the onions. Using a Mandoline slicer or sharp knife, slice the onions into very thin slices. Using your fingers separate the onion slices so they won't stick while frying.
- Heat the frying oil in a pan and add the onion slices, using a skimmer keep mixing the onion slices so it wont stick. fry into batches, it will take 10-12 minutes to have a perfectly golden brown onion. Transfer to a kitchen paper towel to drain excess oil.
Instructions for making the tomato sauce:
- Heat oil in a pan and add the minced garlic , fry for few seconds and add coriander powder, mix and add white vinegar. let it fry for 2 minutes then add tomato paste and sweet red pepper paste and mix.
- Add Passata and mix everything together, add salt and pepper and all the spices. let it boil for couple of minutes then put heat on low , cover the pan and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
Instructions for making Daqa sauce:
- In a medium size bowl , mix the lemon juice, vinegar, minced garlic, salt, cumin and coriander powder. Add water and mix to combine. set aside.
Instructions for making spicy tomato sauce:
- Take 2 cups of the cooked tomato sauce and add to a medium size bowl. Add olive oil and chili powder and mix to combine. take ¼cup of the prepared Daqa sauce and mix it all together till all combined. set aside.
- Now that all koshary elements are cooked and its ready to assemble koshary dish. Start with the lentil rice, top with the pastas, then tomato sauce and fried onion, layer the cooked chickpeas, and drizzle the spicy and daqa sauce when serving. Enjoy.