Have you heard of Koshari? A national dish of Egypt, this default vegan staple combines pasta, rice, lentils and occasionally chickpeas, with a lush tomato sauce, garlic vinaigrette and crispy fried onions. If reading the ingredients alone makes your mouth water, wait until you try it for yourself!

I made a batch for the first time for some friends and we all loved it… without knowing that a couple of months later I would be trying the REAL DEAL made with love by an Egyptian friend’s mum. No prizes for guessing who made it better. Thank you for inviting us over @fadyounis and Mama for the comfort food! If you’re not lucky enough to know an Egyptian family, are plenty of recipes for Koshari online and if you’re curious, I referred to @amiras_pantry for my version.