Koshari or kosheri is a very simple dish which is commonly eaten all over Egypt. You can buy it in specialised shops called Kosharias. It's a simple, tasty and filling dish, and quite inexpensive. If you want to eat it as a meal it's nice to serve it with a salad.

There are many variations but this is how I made it a couple of days ago:

• one small can or jar of cooked lentils (yes, I took a shortcut there)
• similar amounts of rice and pasta (preferably a small kind)
• one or two onions
• three or four tomatoes
• two cloves of garlic
• one red pepper, medium hot
• olive oil
• small can of tomato puree
• salt, pepper, cumin, coriander (all ground)
  

Cook both the pasta and the rice, making sure they'll be ready at about the same time.

Peel and cut the onions and the garlic, heat a few spoons of oil in a frying pan or skillet, and fry them.
Cut the red pepper in small bits and add those. Leave the seeds in if you like it hot.
Wash and dice the tomatoes and add those as well. Simmer for a while, and then add tomato puree and half a mug of water. Season to taste (salt, pepper, ground cumin seeds and ground coriander seeds spring to mind). Let it all simmer to form a sauce.

By now, the pasta and rice are probably done. Drain the pasta and add the rice (or add the pasta to the rice, depending on which is in the larger pot). Add the lentils, mix gently and heat on low heat.

Serve the lentil/rice/pasta mixture with the spicy tomato sauce on top.