Ethiopian Mild Split Pea Stew / Kik Alich'a

Sometimes it's the simpler recipes that stick the closest with you, and that's certainly the case with me and this Ethiopian split pea stew, called kik alich'a (ክክ፡አሊጫ) in Amharic. I first fell in love with this dish as a teenager in Ethiopia and have stayed in love every since - just the smell of it cooking on the stove brings back so many memories. I wish I could remember our houseworker's recipe as it was the best, but what I use today is based on Ato Daniel's cookbook. I hope it brings you as much warmth and comfort as it does me!

Ethiopian Split Pea Stew

(3 servings*)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of olive oil*

1 large onion (diced)

5 cloves of garlic (crushed/minced)

1 tablespoon of ginger paste

1/3t turmeric

3 1/2 cups of water

1 cup of yellow split peas** (rinsed)

2 teaspoons of bouillon powder

Salt (to taste)

2 jalapeño peppers*** (as desired) 

Injera**** (to serve)

*If served alone or with minimal side dishes - if part of a platter it would obviously stretch much further.

*As is generally the case with Ato Daniel's recipes, I have dramatically decreased the amount of oil called for.

**As always with peas and lentils, check to make sure there aren't any pebbles mixed in before rinsing the peas until the water is fairly clear.

***Ethiopians generally love spicy food, but I've often seen kik alich'a served with minimal or no qariya (jalapeño), so do as you feel led! If using, then slice the peppers in half, deseed, and quarter the halves (depending on the size of the peppers of course).

****If you don't have access to injera you can sub in whatever flatbread you prefer - paratha has been my go-to favourite when I haven't been able to find injera locally.

Directions

1) Add the oil to a large pan or wok placed over medium. Once hot, sauté the onion until soft and translucent.

2) Throw the garlic and ginger in and continue sautéing for a couple of minutes.

3) Waft the turmeric over the onion and continue sautéing for another minute.

4) Stir the water, split peas, bouillon, and salt into the pan, briefly bring everything to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for about an hour, stirringly occasionally to keep the bottom from burning. (I increase the frequency as the water absorbs - the first stir's about fifteen minutes after covering, whereas the last is about five minutes before the hour's up.) Go easy on the salt, as always - you can add more before serving if need be, but taking it out when there's too much is another matter entirely!

5) Once the hour's up the peas should have thickened decently and become tender. If they're still not quite done, add a quarter cup or half cup of hot water as needed and continue cooking until the peas are soft.

6) Serve the kik alich'a as is or garnished with the jalapeños, over injera, with flatbread, over rice - whatever floats your boat - and enjoy!