The Delicious Crescent

Crispy Fried Onions
0 In a wide frying pan, heat oil over medium-high. Tip: To check if it is ready, hold your palm about 3 inches above the surface of oil, you should feel the heat.
1 In a large bowl take the sliced onion and sprinkle two pinches of salt, then toss with flour to coat. Shake off any excess flour.
2 Fry onions in batches until crisp golden brown. Do not crowd the pan. Drain on paper towel lined plates and set aside.


Koshari
3 Rice: In a cooking pot, heat 1 tablespoon onion oil, add vermicelli and saute until light golden brown. Add rice, 3 cups water and ⅔ teaspoon salt. Bring it to a boil, lower the heat and let it cook for [timer minutes=15]15 minutes[/timer] until steam builds up well.
4 Lentils: In a saucepan, take lentils, 3 cups water, 1 teaspoon oil, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon coriander, ½ teaspoon pepper, ⅓ teaspoon salt and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and let it cook for [timer minutes=15]15 to 20 minutes[/timer] until all the lentils are well cooked but do not turn mushy. They should still have a nice bite and texture. Drain any excess water and set aside.
5 Chickpeas: In a small skillet heat 2 teaspoons onion oil. Add drained chickpeas, ½ teaspoon coriander, garlic powder and stir it [timer minutes=2]couple minutes[/timer]. Turn off the heat and set aside. Tip: Seasoning the chickpeas in this manner is optional. 
6 Pasta: In a cooking pot take 6 cups of water, 2 teaspoons salt, a drizzle of oil and bring it to a rolling boil. Add pasta and let it cook uncovered for [timer minutes=8]8 to 10 minutes[/timer] until al dente (check time on package). Drain the pasta and set it aside.
Sauces
7 Heat 2 tablespoons onion oil in a saucepan. Add grated garlic and saute [timer minutes=1]1 to 2 minutes[/timer] but do not let it turn brown. Then add 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon coriander, chili flakes and stir it well. Transfer half of this mixture into a small bowl.
8 Tomato Sauce: To the remaining mixture in the saucepan, add tomato sauce and simmer [timer minutes=5]5 minutes[/timer], stirring often. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
9 Garlic Vinegar: To the other half in the bowl, add 2 tablespoons vinegar, ¼ cup water, ½ teaspoon cumin (optional) and stir. Season with salt and pepper. Add more lemon juice or vinegar and water to make more sauce as per taste.
Assemble (3 options)
11 Simple presentation: On a large platter layer in the following order: rice-vermicelli, lentils, pasta, chickpeas, dollops of tomato sauce, crisp onions. Serve garlic vinegar and hot sauce on the side.
12 Individual Portion: Take a single-serving size bowl and plate the layers in the above order, making sure to lightly press it down with a spatula after each layer. Place a serving plate and flip the bowl and release it. Top with onions and serve with sauces.
13 Self Service: Serve all the components in different bowls and let the guests serve themselves as per preference.