Bases

• 3 cups short or medium grain rice
• 1 ½ cups brown lentils
• 1 ½ cups ditalini or macaroni
• 1 cup fideo/vermicelli
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• salt + pepper, to taste
• water, as needed

Salsa (tomato Sauce)

• 3 cups crushed tomatoes
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
• salt, to taste

Avocado da’a (garlic flavor bomb)

• 2 avocados, de-seeded
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼-½ cup white vinegar
• ½-¾ cup water or more as needed
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• salt + black pepper, to taste

Shatta (hot sauce)

• 2-3 each ancho, guajillo, pasilla, de arbol chiles, de-seeded
• ¼-½ cup white vinegar
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups water or more as needed
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• salt, to taste

Tex-Mex Spiced Chickpeas

• 2 cups canned or soaked chickpeas, drained & rinsed
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 ts oregano
• 1-2 tsp tajin

Ta’leya (Fried Toppings)

• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 fresh jalapenos, cut into thin strips lengthwise
• vegetable oil, as needed
• salt
• corn starch (optional)

• Begin by prepping the sliced onions for frying. Sprinkle the onions with salt and optionally, cornstarch, then wrap them in a large cheesecloth or sheet of paper towel, and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Unwrap and let the salt draw out the remaining moisture while you prep the other components until you’re ready to fry.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, saute diced onion with 1 tbsp oil until soft and beginning to turn translucent, about 1-2 minutes, then add garlic and cook for another minute or two.
• Add crushed tomatoes to onions and garlic along with ½ cup water and salt to taste. Let simmer for 15-20 minutes until sauce is reduced and tomatoes are soft. You can blend until smooth if preferred.
• For the da’a, combine garlic, vinegar, seasonings, and water and stir until combined. Add 2 tbsp or as much as you like to the tomato sauce for additional flavor. Then in a blender or food processor, combine remaining liquid with avocado, adding more vinegar and water to thin out if needed.
• In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, lightly toast the chile peppers until pliable and fragrant then add enough water to cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes until peppers are fully softened.
• Once soft, remove peppers and combine in a blender with garlic, vinegar, spices, and either ½ chile cooking water or fresh water, add more to thin out as needed. You can also add some of this to the tomato sauce if desired.
• Toast the fideo in a medium pot with a small amount of vegetable oil for a minute or two. Once lightly browned, add the rice then toast for an additional minute until the rice has started to take on some color.
• Add enough water to cover rice + an additional half inch then cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, lower heat and simmer until rice mixture is cooked then fluff and season with salt to taste.
• In a small pot or saucepan, toast the lentils in vegetable oil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until they brighten up in color and become fragrant. Add 3 cups of water then cover and bring to boil. Once boiling, lower heat and let simmer until water is fully absorbed and lentils are cooked. Once done, season with 1 tsp ground cumin, salt + pepper to taste, and stir.
• Over medium heat, bring a medium pot of generously salted water to a boil then add the ditalini/macaroni (if you want to cook like a real Egyptian, add a drop of oil to the water) and cook for 8-10 minutes or until al dente then strain.
• Combine chickpeas and seasonings in a bowl and toss until evenly coated.
• Fill a dutch oven or small pot two thirds of the way with vegetable oil then heat to 350°F or until shimmering.
• In batches so as to not overcrowd, carefully drop in sliced onions and jalapenos and fry until deeply browned and crispy, then remove and place on paper towels and immediately salt.
• To serve, layer ingredients one by one in a bowl, starting with the rice mixture, then lentils, pasta, tomato sauce, chickpeas, avocado da’a, onions & jalapenos, then add hot sauce to your desired heat level, and mix it all up!
• When you’re done and you want some more (trust me, you will), you can go back for a second smaller bowl, or what we call ‘kemala’. Enjoy!