I made it to Abou Tarek and back

That's what I'd have written on a tshirt if I ever had the chance to visit Abou Tarek in Cairo. Just stick me in a taxi with a speedy egyptian driver so I can make like Tony Bourdain and sample one of Egypt's favorite fast foods: kushari.

Pyramid souvenirs? Toy camels? Nefertiti figurines? Thanks, but I'll pass. Please give me a bowl of kushari (also spelled koshari or koshary) — a carb-loaded, gut-busting concoction of rice, pasta, lentils and chickpeas that's seasoned with tomato sauce and garlicky vinegar. Its huge appeal among all social levels in Egypt deems it a national comfort food, but the overall appearance - not anything that would persuade me to order it off a menu - gave the impression of a pasta salad on steroids. The youtube clip of Bourdain's trek to the popular eatery was so intriguing that I had to try recreating it at home. What a meal! It's unlikely that Egypt will ever be in our travels, so a taste of this curious dish is the closest that I'll ever get to King Tut and spitting camels.

The ingredients are very straightforward, but I was still inclined to put a magnifying glass to any relevant photos on Flickr. In a couple of images the pasta looked like a mix of spaghetti and ditalini (short tube pasta), but most recipes will call for macaroni. All of the components, from what I could tell, are served at room temperature. The key parts to kushari are the caramelized onion garnish and the sauces. One was described as a savory tomato sauce (Bourdain thought it tasted of cumin) while the other is vinegar with garlic. I used plain tomato sauce and made my own flavored vinegar with a couple of smashed garlic cloves left to sit overnight in white wine vinegar. Potent smells coming from that bottle!

The special spice touch

Wanting more of a sensational experience on the tastebuds, I blended an egyptian spice mix. Baharat is a middle eastern seasoning and a recipe on Jaime Oliver's website mentioned it being good as a condiment on rice. Paprika, black pepper, cardamom, cumin, cloves, coriander, nutmeg, ginger - this is serious stuff, and I suggest sprinkling a small amount at first. The layering of kushari - rice, pasta, lentils, chickpeas, caramelized onions - is all that needs to be done just before serving. Add the desired amount of tomato sauce and garlic vinegar (don't forget the baharat!), mix & eat.

Baharat recipe: http://www.jamieoliver.com/foodwise/article-view.php?id=1512