Crispy Koshari Bites with Daqqa Tomato Dip

Method

1. Rinse the lentils and pick out any stones. Put the lentils and water in a 18 cm pot, bring to the boil on high heat, then lower to medium-low heat and simmer uncovered for 10 min until half cooked.

   Add in this stepBrown lentils (or green) 50 gWater 450 ml

   high heat→medium-low heat

2. Add the washed and drained rice, the tomato paste, cumin and salt, stir once, cover and cook on low heat for 15 min, until all the water is absorbed and the rice is very soft and a little sticky; that stickiness is what holds the bites together. If any water is left, uncover for 2 more minutes.

   Add in this stepWhite rice (short- or medium-grain) 75 gTomato paste 1½ tspGround cumin 0.9 tspSalt ½ tsp

   low heat

3. Spread the rice on a large tray and let it cool for 30 min; shaped hot, it is mushy and burns your hands. Roughly mash the chickpeas with a fork and mix them into the rice with half the fried onions, crumbled. With slightly wet hands, divide the mixture into 8 portions a little bigger than a golf ball, press a mozzarella cube into the centre of each, close the mixture around it with no gaps and roll smooth.

   Add in this stepCanned chickpeas, drained 60 gReady-made crispy fried onions 10 gMozzarella (block), in 1 cm cubes 40 g

4. Set out three plates: flour, the eggs beaten with 1 tablespoon of water, and panko. Roll each ball in flour, then egg, then panko, pressing the crumbs on firmly. Any gap lets the cheese leak out during frying.

   Add in this stepPlain flour 3 tbspEggs 1Panko breadcrumbs 40 g

5. Dip: put the passata, finely grated garlic, vinegar, chilli flakes, cumin and salt in a small 14 cm pan and simmer on medium-low heat for 8 min, stirring now and then, until slightly thickened. Serve warm or at room temperature.

   Add in this stepTomato passata 150 gGarlic cloves 2White vinegar 1½ tbspChilli flakes ½ tspGround cumin 0.4 tspSalt ¼ tsp

   medium-low heat

6. Pour oil into a dry 18 cm pot to at least 5 cm deep but never more than half full, and heat on medium-high heat to 175 °C (without a thermometer: a pinch of panko should sizzle and float straight away). Fry the balls 4 at a time, adjusting to medium heat, turning them for 3 min until deep golden all over. Drain on a rack and wait 2 minutes: the cheese inside is extremely hot. If the oil smokes, turn off the heat; if it ever catches fire, cover with a lid and never use water. Never leave hot oil unattended.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil for frying 600 ml

   medium-high heat→medium heat

7. Pile the bites on a plate, scatter over the rest of the fried onions, crumbled, and serve with the daqqa tomato dip.

   Add in this stepReady-made crispy fried onions 10 g