Egypt (Africa) 14 December 2025

Egypt is located in the continent of Africa. It has the Mediterranean Sea and Turkey to the north, Israel, Lebann, Syria and Iraq to the northeast, Jordan and Saudi Arabia to the east, Sudan to the south, and Libya to the west.

The capital is Cairo.

The official language is Arabic.

The climate is low in annual precipitation and has a considerable seasonal and diurnal (daily) temperature range.

The foods are hummus, falafel, stuffed grape leaves, baklava, saltwater fish, gray mullet, lentils, tomatoes, lamb, rice, and much, much more (https://www.journeytoegypt.com/en/blog/traditional-egyptian-food).

https://www.britannica.com/place/Egypt

EGYPTIAN KUSHARI (https://thematbakh.com/egyptian-recipe-for-koshari/):

Chickpeas:

• 1 C dried chickpeas (or 2-15 oz. cans of chickpeas)
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• ½ lime

1. Soak the dried lentils and chickpeas in water for 3 hours prior to making kushari. If using canned chickpeas, boil the dried chickpeas until semi-cooked (about 45 minutes to an hour).
2. Drain the water.
3. Add fresh water and the ground cumin.
4. Boil the chickpeas a second time for another 30 minutes.
5. Once the chickpeas are cooked, squeeze the lime over the chickpeas.

Fried Onions:

• 1-1/2 lbs. onion, about 2 large onions
• 6 TBSP flour to toss the onions in prior to frying
• Oil for frying, preferably sunflower oil
• Salt to taste

1. Chop the onions into circles.
2. Mix with flour and set aside for 30 minutes prior to frying.
3. Fry in oil, preferably sunflower oil.
4. Using a frying spatula, remove the onions from the oil. Set onto a paper towel and set aside.
5. Salt as desired.
6. Keep the sunflower oil to use some of it in other parts of the recipe.

Fresh Red Sauce (optional):

• 1 lb. tomatoes
• 6 oz. green bell pepper
• 6 oz. onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 TBPS oil from the fried onions
• 1 lime
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 spicy pepper (optional)         

1. Blend the tomatoes, bell pepper, onion an garlic cloves in the food processor. If you like a spicy sauce, add 1 spicey pepper.
2. Add the ground cumin, ground coriander, oil (from the fried onions), lime juice, salt, and pepper.
3. Blend and set aside.

Kushari Lentil Rice:

• 1 C dried brown lentils
• 2 C dry Calrose rice or short grain rice
• 1-1/4 lbs. onion (about 1-1/2 large onions)
• 4 TBSP oil from the fried onions
• 4 C water

1. Blend the onions in a food processor.
2. In a high-rimmed stovetop pot, add the oil (from the fried onions).
3. Cook the blended onions slowly on low heat for about 10 minutes.
4. Add the drained brown lentils (these will be about 2-1/4 C after being soaked) and water
5. Bring to a boil.
6. Simmer for 10 minutes covered, or until they soften.
7. Turn down the heat to medium-low.
8. Add the short-grain rice, salt, and pepper.
9. Mix the kushari rice and cook on medium-low heat covered until the rice is tender (about 12 to 15 minutes).
10. Turn off the stove and allow the rice to rest covered for 5 minutes.

Pasta:

• 8 oz. elbow pasta
• 8 oz. dried spaghetti

1. Boil water and add about 1 TBSP of salt.
2. Break the spaghetti pasta in half, then break the half again making quarter-size sections of spaghetti. Break about 15 spaghetti noodles at the same time.
3. Add the spaghetti pasta and elbow pasta to the boiling water.
4. Cook the pasta until desired firmness.
5. Drain the pasta and set it aside.

Traditional Kushari Red Sauce:

• 2-1/4 lbs. tomatoes
• 2 TBSP ghee
• 1 tsp chili flakes or cayenne powder (optional)
• 9 garlic cloves
• 3 TBSP tomato sauce
• 3 TBSP white vinegar
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt or to taste
• 1 tsp black pepper or to taste

1. Blend the tomatoes in a blender.
2. Strain tomatoes into a bowl. Alternately, use canned tomato passata.
3. Mince the garlic cloves.
4. Fry oil (or ghee) with 1 tsp chili flakes (or chili powder) for 30 seconds then add the minced garlic cloves.
5. Add the tomato paste and vinegar for about 30 seconds before adding the blended tomatoes.
6. Add the ground cumin, ground coriander, salt, sugar, and ground black pepper.
7. Simmer for about 10 minutes.

Assemble the Dish:

1. Layer the dish, starting with lentil rice on the bottom, then cooked pasta, chickpeas, kushari vinegar sauce (and optional sauce), and top with fried onions.

This was very tasty!!! I would recommend for anyone!

TORSHI (Assyrian Pickled Vegetables) (https://hildaskitchenblog.com/recipe/torshi-assyrian-pickled-vegetables/):

Pickling Solution:

• 5 C apple cider vinegar
• 4 C water
• 2 TBSP curry powder (mild or spicy)
• 2 TBSP sea salt
• 2 tsp sugar
• 3 Serrano peppers (sliced in half, optional)
• ½ C parsley sprigs
• 1 head of garlic, (separated and slivered)

1. Add vinegar, water, curry, salt, and sugar to a medium-sized pot.
2. Add sliced Serranos, Italian parsley, and slivered garlic.
3. Stir the pickling solution and set aside until needed.

Vegetables:

• 1 small cauliflower
• 3 large carrots
• 3 stalks celery
• One 24oz. jar dill pickles
• Pickled Jerusalem artichokes, green olives, pepperconcinis (optional)

1. Split the cauliflower into florets then peel and slice the carrots and celery.
2. Add the veggies to the pickling solution.
3. Bring the solution to a simmer, then turn the heat off and allow the vegetables and brine to come to room temperature.
4. Next, slice dill pickles in half or quarters and add to your pickling container with any other pre-pickled ingredients (I added pickled Jerusalem artichokes).
5. When the vinegar mixture is cool enough to handle, transfer the vegetables into the pickling container using a slotted spoon.
6. Carefully pour the pickling solution over the vegetables, wipe the rim, and tighten the lid.
7. Allow the flavors to develop for a few days before digging in!!

Nice thing about this are the vegetables are thay they are really even better pickled!!!

BASBOUSA (Egyptian Semolina Cake) (https://www.themediterraneandish.com/basbousa-almond-coconut-semolina-cake/):

For the cake:

• 1 C granulated sugar
• 1 C plain Greek yogurt
• 1 C fine semolina
• 1 C coarse semolina
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 C 2% milk
• ½ C butter, melted
• ¼ C sweetened shredded coconut or coconut chips
• ¼ C sliced almonds

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 9-inch round cake pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl, use a rubber spatula to combine the sugar and yogurt.
3. Add the semolina flours, baking powder, and milk.
4. Stir to combine,
5. Finally, stir in the melted butter.
6. Transfer the batter into the prepared cake pan.
7. Usa a spatula to smooth the batter and transfer the cake pan to the heated oven.
8. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown. If you need to you can put it under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes. You want it to have a little color, but keep an eye on it so the cake doesn’t burn.

For the Cinnamon Simple Syrup:

• 1-1/2 C sugar
• 1-3/4 C water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• ¼ tsp lemon juice

1. While the cake bakes, make the cinnamon simple syrup.
2. Set a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
3. Add the sugar, water, and cinnamon stick.
4. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice.
6. Let cool completely, then remove the cinnamon stick.
7. As soon as the basbousa is removed from the oven, pour the cool syrup on the hot basbousa. The pan may fill up with the liquid and the cake may even float for a second, but it’s OK. Just let it absorb into the cake.
8. Let the cake cool completely, as the syrup must be fully absorbed into the cake.
9. For best results, let it sit for 1 hour before serving.
10. To serve, you can either serve it from the baking pan or run a knife around the edges and invert the cake onto a plate.
11. Top the cake with the flaked coconut and sliced almonds.
12. Cut into 8 slices and enjoy!!

Such a great cake!!!