Egyptian Koshary

Preparation time: 1 hour 50 minutes

Servings: 12

Ingredients:

• Vegetable oil - 1 tablespoon
• Water - 3 cups
• Elbow macaroni - 1 (16 ounces) package
• Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
• Onions (minced) - 5
• Distilled white vinegar - 3 tablespoons
• Tomato paste - 1/2 cup
• Ground black pepper - 1 teaspoon
• Cayenne pepper - 1/4 teaspoon
• White rice - 2 cups
• Salt - 1 teaspoon
• Beluga lentils - 1 cup
• Vegetable oil - 1 tablespoon
• Garlic (minced) - 2 cloves
• Tomatoes (diced) - 4
• Salt - 1 1/2 teaspoons
• Ground cumin - 2 1/2 teaspoons

Directions:

• Put 1 tablespoon of the oil in a pan. Add the rice and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon of the salt and 3 cups of the water. Let it boil and decrease the heat of the stove to low. Put a lid on the pan and cook until rice it gets soft and the liquid absorbs (for 25 minutes).
• Boil the salted water in a pot. Add macaroni and cook until tender for 8 minutes. Sieve. Again, put the macaroni in the pot and put a lid on it. 
• Soak the lentils for about 30 minutes. Sieve and wash. Boil 2 cups of the water in a pot. Put the lentils in and allow them to boil. Put a lid on the pot and decrease the heat of the stove to low. Cook until the lentils get soft for 20 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the salt.
• Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Stir in onions and cook until golden (for 15 minutes). Stir in the garlic and heat for 1 minute. Turn off the heat. 
• Put half onion mixture in a pan. Add vinegar. Stir in tomatoes with paste, cayenne, black pepper, cumin, and 2 1/2 teaspoons of the salt. Let it boil then decrease the heat of the stove to low. Cook for 12 minutes.