14-Day Egypt
Itinerary

Koshari

Cairo's greatest street dish and Egypt's national food: a seemingly random layering of rice, brown lentils, macaroni and chickpeas topped with a spiced tomato-vinegar sauce, crispy fried onion and a chilli oil; the combination sounds chaotic and tastes transcendent; sold from stainless steel carts at every street corner for almost nothing.

Ta'meya (Egyptian Falafel)

Cairo's falafel is distinct from all others: made with ground dried broad (fava) beans rather than chickpeas, giving a brighter green interior and a lighter, crispier texture; fried to order and stuffed into aish baladi flatbread with tomato, salad and tahini; eaten as breakfast or any-time snack; a Cairo street corner staple for centuries.

Hamam Mahshi

Egypt's ancient delicacy: whole pigeon stuffed with green wheat (freekeh) or rice, raisins and spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice, then slow-roasted until the skin is lacquered and the freekeh filling is fragrant; a festive dish served at celebrations; the squabs must be young and the freekeh smoke-dried for the authentic flavour.

Molokhia

Egypt's medieval comfort food, the leaves of the Jew's mallow plant finely chopped and cooked in chicken broth with garlic and coriander into a thick, viscous green soup; poured over rice with shredded chicken; the gelatinous texture is polarising for newcomers; Egyptians eat it weekly and feel homesick without it anywhere on earth.

Ful Medames

Egypt's ancient breakfast, eaten since the Pharaohs: dried fava beans slow-simmered overnight in large clay pots until they soften into a creamy, protein-dense porridge, then seasoned with lemon juice, cumin, garlic and olive oil; eaten with fresh bread (aish baladi) every morning; the smell of ful carts at dawn is Cairo's alarm clock.