Egypt's national dish: Kushari
Kushari, also known as koshari, kosheri, koshary, and koushari, is a simple yet delicious Egyptian national dish consisting of rice, pasta, and lentils.
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The name Kushari comes from the Hindu word khichri, which refers to a dish of rice and lentils.
Small yellow lentils and rice are simmered in a rich stock with the addition of crispy, fried noodles and onions sautéed in butter.
Before serving, kushari is topped with a vinegar and tomato or chili-based spicy sauce, adding even more flavor to the hearty dish.
For a more filling meal, lamb or beef is added to the mixture, while the Alexandrian version includes pasta.
There are countless variations of the dish, but it is essential to flavor it with mastic, an exotic, earthy, crystallized resin from the Pistacia lentiscus tree, which is grown only in Greece but grows wild in the Mediterranean.
Kushari tastes even more delicious when accompanied by a green salad or a cup of hot mint tea.