As someone whose favourite "news" shows are the Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report, I have also long been a fan of The Onion, a American satirical "news" source. My theory is that these things aren't funny unless you have a fairly good idea of what news is the basis for the satire, so they are a reasonable jumping off point for news. Recently a group of young Egyptian writers who are only known by their pseudonyms: Makarona (pasta), Ward Zeyada (extra fried onions), and Subar Lox (a term for a standard size for koshary) have started up an Egyptian version of The Onion. El-Koshary Today is named after an Egyptian dish that is a conglomeration of dark lentils, chickpeas, rice, and pasta topped with fried onions, a spicy tomato sauce and a garlic/vinegar sauce. Cheap and filling, koshary is a streetside favourite in Egypt and this literary version is fast on its way to becoming just as enjoyable. While locals like myself can laugh at their send-ups of Egyptian news, the stories might entice people elsewhere to explore some of the issues brought up in some of the more mainstream sources.
You can make up a batch of koshary with this recipe and giggle your way through the wesite.
Happy nibbling!
copyright 2009 Maryanne Stroud Gabbani
