Alexandrian Koshary
While I have always been a top fan of the traditional Egyptian koshary, one day it came to my surprise that there was another koshary recipe that few people are familiar with. Named after my beloved hometown, Alexandria, the flavor of Alexandrian koshary never fails to transport me back to the sound of the sea and the blissful cool breeze that I used to experience there.
I recall the innocent smile that would naturally draw on my face whenever I knew my mother was preparing it for lunch, a smile that still lingers as soon as the first spoonful touches my lips. Once I started to learn how to cook, this was one of the very first recipes that I was eager to try myself. Below is the recipe which my mother and I have adopted.
Ingredients
•1 onion
•2 cups of white rice
•2 cups red lentils
•Boiled eggs
•Oil
•Salt and pepper
•Cumin
•Ghee
How to make it
1. Peel and chop the onion.
2. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until softened.
3. Add the rice to the pot and stir carefully to coat it with the oil and onions.
4. Pour in enough water to cover the rice by about 2 cm. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil.
5. Once boiling, lower the heat and add the red lentils to the pot. Sprinkle in a pinch of salt and cumin, then gently stir to combine all the ingredients.
6. Cover the pot and allow the mixture to cook until the rice is fluffy, and the lentils are soft.
7. While the rice and lentils cook, prepare the fried eggs (depending on the quantity that you need). Heat two tablespoons of ghee in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the boiled eggs and sauté until they are golden brown all over. Remove and place them on paper towels to drain any excess oil. Then sprinkle in a pinch of salt and pepper if desired.
Optional
Prepare the fried onions in the same frying pan used for the eggs, add a small cup of oil, then add sliced and salted onion and cook until golden brown and crispy.
To serve
Place a generous portion of the rice and lentil mixture on a plate. Top with caramelized onions and serve the fried eggs on the side.
Goan Fish Masala - Recheado
Goa is a small coastal state on the southwest coast of India south of Bombay. It was colonized by the Portuguese. Recheado is the Portuguese word that means stuffed and masala is the Indian word for paste. The paste is often stuffed inside fish like mackerels and pomfrets, sometimes even in veggies like okra. It is spicy with a distinct taste of vinegar. In fact, it is a must-have masala in every Goan household.
Recheado masala, also known as Goan Raechad masala is a fiery and tangy paste. It has a variety of spices, a rich red color and is made with chilies, spices and vinegar. It’s my family’s favorite recipe and also Goans’ favorite. Its rich color and hot and tangy taste will infuse your tastebuds for a long time. It’s best eaten with steamed rice, sourak (plain coconut curry) or daal.
Ingredients
20 to 25 Kashmiri red chilies or smoked sweet paprika (Kashmiri red chilies have a beautiful rich red color similar to smoked sweet paprika)
•10 cloves garlic
•3-inch fresh ginger
•10 cloves
•10 peppercorns or 1 tsp pepper powder
•1 large cinnamon stick (3-inches)
•4 green cardamoms
•1 tsp cumin (jeera)
•2 tbsp jaggery (Jaggery adds a nice flavor from the coconut sap but you can also use brown sugar or white sugar.)
•1 tsp salt
•1 tsp tamarind paste (or small golf size ball of fresh tamarind)
•1/2 cup white vinegar palm
•¼ cup coconut vinegar or any vinegar available in supermarkets in Kuwait. (Traditionally, this paste is made with coconut vinegar and palm vinegar. But, white vinegar works just as well.)
•1 large onion
•1 tbsp cooking oil
How to make it
The masala paste
1. Soak the chilies in vinegar for 15 minutes. This will soften them and make them easier to grind.
2. To make the masala paste less spicy, deseed the chilies. The seeds are usually spicy so taking them out will reduce the spiciness.
3. Slice onions and sauté them in the oil until caramelized.
4. Place all the ingredients, along with the soaked chilies, spices, and cooked onions in the blender, food processor, or mixer.
5. Grind until smooth adding the vinegar, little at a time. Adding vinegar gradually will give a smoother consistency to the paste. No water must be added.
The fish
1. Clean and slit the fish (such as mackerels, pomfret or salmon, seabass). Pat them dry.
2. Season with salt and pepper. Then spread a generous amount of the masala in between the gap as well as all around. 3. Coat the fish in flour or bread crumbs and pan fry with little oil until cooked.
Other ways to enjoy the masala
You can also use this masala with shrimps or squids then coat them with flour. Dip them in beaten eggs followed by dry bread crumbs. Deep or shallow fry until cooked.
For a vegetarian option, you can use this masala to fill okra or stuff in small split eggplants. Cook in a little oil until tender.