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This simple Ethiopian split pea stew, kik alicha, is a warming main dish with just six ingredients. Serve with Injera, flatbread or rice. (gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free). This post was originally published on Feb 7 2013
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My next choice of cuisine after Indian is Ethiopian. The dishes are so flavorful and well spiced. If you want to try making it at home, kik alicha is a wonderful starting point. It’s a very easy dish to make and doesn’t require a ton of spices or complicated processes.
Kik alicha is a spiced split pea stew that’s very similar in preparation to Indian split pea dal. You just sauté some aromatics, add your spices, then add soaked and rinsed split peas. Simmer, and you’re done!
For more authentic flavor, get some non dairy nitter kibbeh(Ethiopian spiced butter/oil), and use that to sauté the aromatics. You can make your own as well.
You can use yellow split peas, green split peas, or a mix in this recipe. The cooking time is going to depend on the age of your split peas. If your split peas are pretty fresh, they’ll cook to tender in 45 minutes to an hour. If they’re old, be prepared to let them simmer for more like two hours.
Cooking time also depends on how tender you want your split peas. Traditionally, kik alicha is quite soft, and then you mash some of the split peas after simmering. But if you want yours a bit firmer, you can start checking in on them sooner during simmering.
However you make it, this simple split pea stew is absolutely delicious, with flavors of ginger, garlic, and turmeric!
Why You’ll Love Kik Alicha
- delicious, protein-packed dish
- one-pot Ethiopian entree made with common pantry ingredients
- versatile! Make it hotter with green chili and berbere, if you like!
- naturally gluten-free, nut-free, and soy free
More Vegan Ethiopian-Inspired Recipes
- Lentil Sambusa– spiced lentil pastry
- Atakilt Wat – cabbage carrot potatoes
- Mushroom Tibs – spiced mushrooms
- Ethiopian Spiced Tacos
- Injera Bread
- Yediffin missir alicha – Lentils in Garlic Ginger Sauce
Kik Alicha (Ethiopian Split Pea Stew)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dry split peas, soak overnight or 2 hours. Use yellow, green, or a mix!
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 1 cup chopped red onion
- 4-5 garlic cloves , minced
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- 1 serrano pepper, or jalapeño, chopped, optional
- 1/3 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon berbere spice blend, optional, for a spicier wat version
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Soak the split peas overnight or at least 2 hours in warm water, drain and rinse. See notes below for pressure cooker directions.
- In a deep pan, add the oil or non dairy nitter kibbeh(Ethiopian spiced oil). Once the oil is hot, add onions, ginger, garlic, and chopped Serrano or jalapeño, if using. Cook stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add splashes of water if needed to help cook the onion evenly. Add the turmeric and berbere, if using, and mix well.
- Add rinsed split peas, salt, pepper and water. Mix, cover and bring to a boil on medium heat.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until peas have softened to your desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt and spice if needed.
- Mash the peas if desired. Add some lemon juice, if desired, and serve. Tastes best with a sour flat bread, like Injera, but you can also serve it with rice or flatbread of choice.
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Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- dry split peas – Use yellow, green, or a mix of the two. Soak for two hours, then drain and rinse.
- oil – To sauté.
- aromatics – This is your onion, garlic, and ginger. You can also add a green chili, like Serrano or jalapeño, for more heat, if you like.
- spices – Turmeric is the main spice in kik alicha, along with salt and pepper, but you can also add some berbere for a hotter version.
- water – To cook the split peas.
💡 Tips
- Cooking time for the split peas will vary depending on how old they are and how soft you want them. They can take anywhere from 45 minutes to two hours or more. Older split peas need a lot longer to cook.
How to Make Ethiopian Split Pea Stew
Soak the split peas overnight or at least 2 hours in warm water, drain and rinse. See notes for pressure cooker directions.
In a deep pan, add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add onions, ginger, garlic, and chopped Serrano or jalapeño, if using. Cook stirring occasionally, until translucent.
Add the turmeric and berbere, if using, and mix well.
Add rinsed split peas, salt, pepper and water. Mix, cover and bring to a boil on medium heat.
Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until peas have softened to your desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt and spice if needed.
Mash the peas if desired. Add some lemon juice, if desired, and serve. Tastes best with a sour flat bread, like Injera, but you can also serve it with rice or flatbread of choice.
What to Serve with Kik Alicha
Serve this with rice, Injera, or your flatbread of choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Kik alicha is naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free.
This simple stew is thick and hearty with subtle notes of ginger and turmeric. If you like a spicier dish, you can add green chili and berbere to up the heat and flavor.
wow v innovative n healthy..frst time here..love ur collections..hapi to follow u ..glad if u od the same..!!
https://subhieskitchen.blogspot.co.uk
yummy and healthy plate
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Your recipe on Ethiopian split pea stew looks great. I would definitely like to try this out. Thanks for the recipe.
This is a super easy and yummy kik alicha recipe! I used a dutch oven.
I need to make more dishes with split peas – yours looks so good! Can’t wait to see more Ethiopian food too. 🙂
I love Ethiopian cuisine, too. I have a few recipes on my blog but kik alicha is definitely my favourite, although not what most people associate with Ethiopian since it isn’t spicy. I look forward to seeing what else you make. 🙂
This looks outrageously good. I wouldn’t even need the rice…just a spoon! I adore Ethiopian food.
Thanks Amber! i love this with the sour Injera so much!!
oh richa, i am so excited for your ethiopian recipes! i tried a few over a year ago and wasn’t a huge fan. i’ve always wanted to try authentic ethiopian food at a restaurant but haven’t gotten a chance to go(they are located in a very sketchy area in philly). i look forward to more stews and injera((!!!) and cooking them all up and eating them by hand 😉
Thanks Miss C:) we eat indian food by hand every day:) You should order some berbere online.. that spice blend is addictive.. not too hot but very flavorful:))
Replying to Caitlin:
I came here to cook this, and while it’s simmering I thought I’d respond to your totally clueless/possibly racist statement about the vibrant Ethiopian culture in Philly. I don’t know where you moved from that you think West Philadelphia (where the vast majority of Ethiopian restaurants are located) is too “sketchy” to visit. It has a legacy of Ethiopian and black cultural cuisine, and there are literally 10 Ethio restaurants within a 10 block radius so I’m not sure how all of them can be sketchy… Get out of your University City, Queen Village or Fishtown bubble (cause you’ve gotta be from somewhere bougie) and visit a new place. You definitely need the education.
This sounds so completely fabulous! I can’t wait to hear how your injera trials go! I’ve tried a couple of injera recipes, but I’m eager to try your method when you’ve got it finalized. You know your way around bread, that’s for sure!
Thanks Cadry! I dont know if i will ferment the injera batter for days.. but lets hope they come out good:))
I’ve never followed one of the fermentation recipes. That’s a lot of dedication for a dinner!