a list of recipes > Kik Alicha Ethiopian Yellow Split Peas
Kik Alicha Yellow Split Peas
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Yellow Split Peas or Yellow Tor Dal (Pigeon Peas)
- 5 cups water
- 2 Teaspoons of Salt
- Peanut Oil to cover the bottom of a pan.
- 1 large Onion chopped extra fine
- 4 tablespoons Butter
- 1 teaspoon of Onion Powder
Berbere Spice Blend:
- 2 small fresh ground dried hot Chiles with seeds removed
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground Fenugreek Seed
- seeds from 1 Cardamom Pods
- 1/2 teaspoon Coriander Seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground White Peppercorns
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground Black Peppercorns
- 1/2 inch stick Cinnamon freshly ground
- 2 fresh ground Allspice seeds
- 1 Cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly shaved Nutmeg powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon ground Ginger powder
Preparation:
Wash and rinse the Yellow Split Peas. Place the peas, water, and salt in a pressure cooker. Bring the heat up slowly, as the Peas are notorious for frothing vigorously, and plugging a pressure cooker's release valves. Once the cooker is pressurized and venting steadily, cook the peas for about 8 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the cooker sit while the pressure releases naturally.
In a large pan, heat the Peanut Oil. Add the Onions and fry them with high heat until they are very well browned.
Add the 4 tablespoons of Butter to the fried Onions. When the the butter is melted add the Onion Powder and stir it into the greasy onions to freshen the flavor.
Add the Berbere Spice Blend mixture and mix thoroughly. When the aroma rises, remove the mixture from heat and let the flavors release and blend.
When the peas are ready, add them into the Onion and Spice mixture let everything sit a while so the flavors blend.
Serve over fluffy white rice.