Egypt has a type of street food considered its national dish, which combines a variety of ingredients into one dish, known as Koshari
In a single bowl of koshari, you find rice, Italian pasta, Indian lentils, elbow macaroni, and chickpeas, topped with a mildly spicy tomato sauce and finished with fragrant crispy fried onions.
It is said that koshari is quite an old dish, originating in Cairo during the 19th century, a time when the city was full of diverse ethnic groups, each bringing ingredients from their homelands—rice from one place, noodles from another, lentils from a different continent. One day, leftover ingredients came together, creating a filling, affordable dish for everyone.
Interestingly, Egyptians never look down on koshari as cheap food; on the contrary, they eat it with pride. Old koshari shops have long queues from the afternoon because it is a meal where taxi drivers and businessmen alike can sit and enjoy the same dish at equal price and taste.
Before the World Cup round of 16 match, Egypt faced a tough challenge against defending champions Argentina. Hossam Hassan, head coach of Egypt, made a powerful statement saying his team was not underdogs because Egypt is a civilization over seven thousand years old. They would never bow easily. For 78 minutes of that game, they proved the coach right.
Egypt’s national team, mostly made up of players from the domestic league, also featured superstars Argentina could not underestimate, like Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush. One of the most stunning players in the match was goalkeeper Mostafa Shobier, who brilliantly saved a penalty from Lionel Messi and repeatedly defended Egypt from danger throughout the game.
Meanwhile, the attackers helped the team take a 2-0 lead against the world champions. With only 11 minutes left, they were on the verge of making history by advancing to the next round.
But football often delivers harsh lessons.
In the final eleven minutes, Argentina scored, equalized, and then overturned the game to win 3-2 in stoppage time, with Lautaro Martinez changing the course of the match.
Looking at the origins of the dish “Koshari” and this Egyptian national team, there is a shared theme: koshari is a dish created by using leftover kitchen ingredients to craft a meal enjoyed nationwide. Similarly, Egypt’s national football team is composed of players from the local league, using quality homegrown talent.
What many may not know is that to try koshari, you don’t have to fly all the way to Cairo. In Bangkok, several Egyptian restaurants serve it, such as Cairo Bangkok in Suan Luang and Arabesquebangkok on Sukhumvit Soi 2.