I was walking down the street and caught a whiff of something amazing. I definitely detected notes of garlic and tomato, but I decided to investigate further. A small shop had a queue of people in front of it and I headed towards it. I watched as the man furiously made bowl after bowl of vegetable (pak choi, lettuce and seaweed), noodle (rice flour udon noodles or thin wheat noodles or thick wheat noodles) and his wife ladled them out into very large bowls. That's something I've noticed here, people don't skimp on portion sizes, they really ladle the stuff in Egyptian-style. I met a girl in Beijing who said to me it is commonly believed that Northern Chinese people are taller than Southern Chinese people because noodles are their staple food, not the rice of the South. Maybe they also have larger portions in the North.
I tracked the source of the tantalising smell to a red sauce that they put in the noodle soups. They also added a large tablespoon of salt and MSG, a quail egg and a small wheat dumpling. (I know all this because I stood and watched for 30 minutes, not because I have a super sense of awareness that means I take in the entire situation in front of me as fast as a Sherlock Homes-wannabe).
So after 30 minutes I heard my tummy rumbling and asked for thick rice noodles without spice, salt or MSG. The man looked at me as if I was wearing my head backwards. It seemed that he was right. Without the MSG and rice, my Chinese koshari was very bland. But at least it was healthier!
But my heart still belongs to my Egyptian koshari. During my last year at university I wrote an 'Ode to koshari' in my University newspaper which pretty much sums it all up:
In my humble opinion, this is Egypt’s greatest national dish, and equally, it is the most delicious concoction of flavours to have ever graced my taste buds.
As you go through life, you may meet Egyptians that’ll tell you I’m over-exaggerating, but pay them no heed. Although this carbohydrate-loaded meal may not look like anything special, when you take a nice big spoonful of rice, pasta, lentils, chickpeas, tomato salsa and fried onions, what I can only describe as magic, begins to happen.
It’s not just the satisfying taste, but also the smell of the fried onions and the multiple layers of texture, that make every bite memorable. You’ll find yourself reminiscing with a close friend, ‘Remember bite 23? Ah, bite 23...’. But the soft rice and pasta, the slightly harder chickpeas and lentils and then the outrageously crunchy fried onions, really do leave you gasping for more.
If you happen to find yourself walking down any street in Cairo – as you do – and your stomach starts screaming for your attention, stick your nose into the air and locate that beautiful smell of fried onions. Next thing you know, you’ve hit Koshari Paradise!
Almost every Koshari shop in Egypt is identical to the next, and as one of the cheapest foods you’ll find in the country, eating in a Koshari shop will give you the perfect opportunity to spy on the natives.
The most famous Koshari shop in Cairo is called Abu Tarek, situated quite close to the heart of the city: Tahrir Square. Inside, it’s perpetually heaving with hungry Egyptians, and quite a healthy helping of tourists who are in search of a more memorable meal than their usual Big Mac.
Once you’ve seated yourself on the tin tables, a waiter will come quickly to take your order. Here in Koshari Paradise there is no need to furrow your brow over choosing what to eat – every dish is the same! - all you need to worry about is choosing small, medium or large. You can also order extra fried onions (recommended), lentils, salsa or anything else you fancy.
You’ll notice on the table two long wine-bottle-type bottles. In one of these you’ll find a red liquid and in another you’ll find a yellow liquid. Please, please don’t make the mistake of absent-mindedly pouring the red liquid into your bowl (as I have done before), as this is very, very spicy chilli sauce. The yellow liquid is something called Dakka, and it’s a mixture of vinegar, garlic and cumin.
In no time at all, the waiter will plonk onto the table your bowls of Koshari. If you wish to sample the red and/or yellow liquids, the way to do it is to stopper the top of the bottle with your (probably very grubby) thumb so as to leave a small gap (not the most hygienic invention in the World but at least it’ll boost your immune system). Gently lift the bottle, and pour the liquids in sparingly, via said hole, onto your food.
Next it’s time to mix the bad boy up. Take the plastic/metal spoon that you’ve been allocated and carefully mix together all of the Koshari layers. Be careful because there’s usually not enough room in the bowl to mix it, so if you can do this without spilling half of the dish down your front, then please contact me as I’d like to learn from your superior wisdom.
It usually takes Egyptians on average 5.3 seconds to drain a bowl of Koshari, but I’d recommend that you take your time to savour the delicate nuances of the dish.
When you’ve crammed the last mouthful into your mouth, no matter how full you feel, you must try the traditional pudding served at all Koshari Houses – rice pudding! Then you can truly say that you’ve had a happy carbohydrate-filled Koshari day!
I tracked the source of the tantalising smell to a red sauce that they put in the noodle soups. They also added a large tablespoon of salt and MSG, a quail egg and a small wheat dumpling. (I know all this because I stood and watched for 30 minutes, not because I have a super sense of awareness that means I take in the entire situation in front of me as fast as a Sherlock Homes-wannabe).
So after 30 minutes I heard my tummy rumbling and asked for thick rice noodles without spice, salt or MSG. The man looked at me as if I was wearing my head backwards. It seemed that he was right. Without the MSG and rice, my Chinese koshari was very bland. But at least it was healthier!
 |
| Chinese koshari - you can see a bit of brown tofu, a quail egg, a wheat dumpling ball and to the left is a bowl of pickled cabbage. I have a fork just in case I get infuriated with the chopsticks. Incidentally I shouldn't be placing the chopsticks vertically because it's considered bad luck. It is reminiscent of vertical incense sticks at a funeral. |
Koshari – the national dish of Egypt
By Amira Mullaney
By Amira Mullaney
In my humble opinion, this is Egypt’s greatest national dish, and equally, it is the most delicious concoction of flavours to have ever graced my taste buds.
As you go through life, you may meet Egyptians that’ll tell you I’m over-exaggerating, but pay them no heed. Although this carbohydrate-loaded meal may not look like anything special, when you take a nice big spoonful of rice, pasta, lentils, chickpeas, tomato salsa and fried onions, what I can only describe as magic, begins to happen.
It’s not just the satisfying taste, but also the smell of the fried onions and the multiple layers of texture, that make every bite memorable. You’ll find yourself reminiscing with a close friend, ‘Remember bite 23? Ah, bite 23...’. But the soft rice and pasta, the slightly harder chickpeas and lentils and then the outrageously crunchy fried onions, really do leave you gasping for more.
If you happen to find yourself walking down any street in Cairo – as you do – and your stomach starts screaming for your attention, stick your nose into the air and locate that beautiful smell of fried onions. Next thing you know, you’ve hit Koshari Paradise!
Almost every Koshari shop in Egypt is identical to the next, and as one of the cheapest foods you’ll find in the country, eating in a Koshari shop will give you the perfect opportunity to spy on the natives.
The most famous Koshari shop in Cairo is called Abu Tarek, situated quite close to the heart of the city: Tahrir Square. Inside, it’s perpetually heaving with hungry Egyptians, and quite a healthy helping of tourists who are in search of a more memorable meal than their usual Big Mac.
Once you’ve seated yourself on the tin tables, a waiter will come quickly to take your order. Here in Koshari Paradise there is no need to furrow your brow over choosing what to eat – every dish is the same! - all you need to worry about is choosing small, medium or large. You can also order extra fried onions (recommended), lentils, salsa or anything else you fancy.
You’ll notice on the table two long wine-bottle-type bottles. In one of these you’ll find a red liquid and in another you’ll find a yellow liquid. Please, please don’t make the mistake of absent-mindedly pouring the red liquid into your bowl (as I have done before), as this is very, very spicy chilli sauce. The yellow liquid is something called Dakka, and it’s a mixture of vinegar, garlic and cumin.
In no time at all, the waiter will plonk onto the table your bowls of Koshari. If you wish to sample the red and/or yellow liquids, the way to do it is to stopper the top of the bottle with your (probably very grubby) thumb so as to leave a small gap (not the most hygienic invention in the World but at least it’ll boost your immune system). Gently lift the bottle, and pour the liquids in sparingly, via said hole, onto your food.
Next it’s time to mix the bad boy up. Take the plastic/metal spoon that you’ve been allocated and carefully mix together all of the Koshari layers. Be careful because there’s usually not enough room in the bowl to mix it, so if you can do this without spilling half of the dish down your front, then please contact me as I’d like to learn from your superior wisdom.
It usually takes Egyptians on average 5.3 seconds to drain a bowl of Koshari, but I’d recommend that you take your time to savour the delicate nuances of the dish.
When you’ve crammed the last mouthful into your mouth, no matter how full you feel, you must try the traditional pudding served at all Koshari Houses – rice pudding! Then you can truly say that you’ve had a happy carbohydrate-filled Koshari day!
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