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Kabab Cafe 25-12 Steinway St., Astoria, 718-728-9858
This soulful vegetarian dish—literally “a mixture of ingredients”—is one of the most common and beloved dishes in Cairo. It’s economical, satisfying and open to all sorts of additions. One night at Ali’s, the tomato sauce on top was smooth and spicy; on another, he combined big chunks of fresh tomato with garlic and scallions for a more salsa-like topping. “There is no one right way to make kushari,” says Ali, but here’s a good place to start.
Serves 4
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 small onions, one diced, the other cut into wedges
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 whole cloves
2 allspice berries
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon each coriander, caraway and mustard seeds
½ teaspoon each ground turmeric and paprika
1 whole star anise
1 cup small shaped pasta (such as elbows)
1 cup white rice
½ cup green lentils, soaked in 2½ cups warm water for 10 minutes
1 cup pureed tomato sauce
1 tablespoon white vinegar
Optional: chopped fresh tomatoes, scallion, cilantro, basil or other herbs for the sauce
In a large saucepot over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of oil until hot but not smoking. Add the diced onion, garlic, all the spices and herbs and salt; cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the pasta, stirring, until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook 3 minutes, stirring, until the grains are slightly translucent. Stir in the lentils and their soaking water. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally and adding more water if necessary, 12 minutes or until the rice is tender. Meanwhile, in a small pan over medium-high heat, cook the onion wedges in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil until tender. In another small pan over low heat, combine tomato sauce and vinegar and heat through. Possible additions to the sauce include fresh tomatoes, scallion, cilantro, basil or other herbs. To serve, ladle the sauce over the rice mixture, then top with the fried onions.
Note: Nothing beats the full-bodied flavor and freshness of whole spices, but remember: They don’t disintegrate during cooking. Remove the cinnamon stick and other whole spices before serving, and alert your guests.
Originally printed in edible Queens, Fall 2009; photography by Alexandra Grablewski, styling by Georgia Downard and Paige McCurdy-Flynn.
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