Vegetarian

Koushari

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<p><em>Cynthia Mosher is the editor and publisher of <a href="http://www.vegfamily.com/">VegFamily.com</a> and <em>Mothering's</em>Webmaster. She blogs at <a href="http://www.wahmdaily.com/">WAHM Daily</a> where she shares advice and information about working from home and internet marketing.</em></p>

By Cynthia Mosher, Web Director, Mothering.com

Koushari is a frugal Egyptian dish. With a green salad and crusty bread this makes a wonderful vegetarian meal.

2 cups cooked short grain rice
1 cup cooked elbow macaroni
1 cup of cooked vermicelli
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon of cumin
1/2 cup brown lentils, rinsed
8 oz tomato sauce
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup cooked whole chick peas
1 large onion, thinly sliced
olive oil


<p>Rice, macaroni, and vermicelli should be cooked simultaneously while lentil sauce is being prepared and kept warm until ready to assemble the dish.</p> <p>Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in large pan. <br /> Saute chopped onion and garlic in oil until tender. <br /> Stir in cumin, allowing it to cook briefly in the oil. <br /> Add rinsed lentils and saute for 1 minute. <br /> Stir in tomato sauce. <br /> Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. <br /> Add salt and pepper to taste.</p> <p>Fry the thinly sliced onion in enough olive oil to brown it. <br /> On a platter place the cooked rice as the bottom layer, the macaroni as the next layer, followed by the vermicelli on top. <br /> Ladle the lentil sauce over all and top with chickpeas and fried onions.</p>