Koshary, krantica and twine .. dishes created by peoples and armies when the food disappeared

Farida Ahmed

The individual adheres to what keeps him alive in crises, whether the crisis is poverty, wars or famine, mixes his imagination with his mind and creates available food dishes to satisfy his hunger and the hunger of his family, from all that falls on his eyes and his hands can reach him.

Koshari in Egypt, Cartaña in Algeria, Albia in Spain, and others. Dishes that appeared in difficult times and lived after that to tell in the periods of prosperity the story of their innovation and resilience.

Algerian Karnatica
This popular dish is spread in Algeria to this day, and its history dates back to the period of the Spanish occupation.

For the first time, inside the "Santa Cruz" fortress, he made the last Spanish strongholds overlooking the city of Oran, after they were surrounded for a long time until they ran out of supplies, so the Spanish commander called the chef and ordered him to make anything to feed the soldiers.

There was nothing but chickpeas, so the cook crushed and kneaded it with water and oil and presented it to the soldiers. When the commander asked about the name of the dish that the cook invented, he answered in Spanish "Caliente" meaning hot or hot, and it is known in some regions of Algeria as "Karantika" and in other areas as " Currentita.

Spanish Paía
A popular dish containing golden Spanish rice and various varieties of vegetables, meat or fish, spiced distinctly with saffron.

Its origins date back to the 19th century, it is believed to express the blending of the two cultures of the Romans who moved to Spain, and the Arabs who brought rice and spices.

The story of the dish - whose reputation has crossed the borders of Spain and has become a top favorite food list for tourists - goes back to the poor who mixed the leftovers to feed their families.

According to KitchenProject, which specializes in the history of food, the name Paella is derived from the Arabic word "remnants", given that the dish is due to the invention of the slave of kings to satisfy their need of hunger. To the house to have with their families.

Egyptian Koshari
is the most popular Egyptian dish, consisting of a distinct mixture of legumes such as lentils, rice and chickpeas with added pasta, sliced ​​roasted onions and special tomato sauce.

It became popular in most Arab and western countries, and emerged from the womb of an economic crisis and a rise in the prices of goods and food in the late 19th century.

According to Chef Clifford A. Wright and author of many cookbooks, the name "Koshari" is derived from the Hindu "Khoshri", and it is believed that Koshari originated in India and dates back to the time of British colonialism that refers to a dish of lentils and rice.

When the British entered Egypt in the late 19th century with some Indian soldiers, they brought this dish with them, and it was inexpensive.

Not long ago, due to the economic conditions, the Egyptians embraced that low-cost dish and added some touches to it to appear as it is known today.

The conductive twine
This dish appeared as a result of the pressures and siege that Mosul was subjected to, as it was not possible for the population under the wars to obtain food, but at the same time the grains were available to the majority.

The label returns to the pot in which it is cooked and made from pottery. The contents of lentils and dry beans are placed after being soaked in water in the "jar" and spices are added to them.

The people of Mosul are famous for the twist, which has become one of the popular dishes made in the winter to supply the body with energy, especially with the addition of meat to it at times of detente.

Korean Army
Soup is a popular Korean "stew" soup, which contains kimchi "salted vegetables, fermented vegetables and spices" as well as sausages, mushrooms, noodles (instant noodles) and cheese.

Its components are believed to be a random dish, and it had already begun in exceptional circumstances, but it continued and became one of the most popular Korean dishes.

Shortly after the Civil War in the early 1950's, food was extremely scarce, so these surplus foods from US military bases were a great supplement for Koreans, to get cheap protein.

Some Koreans have been lining up outside the dining halls at US military bases to buy the remains, according to the Mykoreankitchen website. 

The leftovers contained sausage, ham, canned beans, and sliced ​​cheese, and the Koreans added their "kimchi", garlic, vegetables, chili paste and noodles, creating a spicy mix known as Budae jjigae.

Budae is a Korean term for military base and Jjigae means soup, so the dish is called "army soup / army base soup".