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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.
Video
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.
My picky eater (grown) son loved it too. I added a dollop of Greek yogurt to my bowl.
Yay! Good to hear.
Do you top with parsley or cilantro?
Parsley
I’m so happy that I loved it because I 3x the recipe. I pressure-cooked mine using the beans button. I made extra berbere spice and put it in a little pepper shaker to sprinkle on top. I also diced jalapeno for a garnish. I will be eating leftovers for breakfast. I love this type of dish to start my day. I added dehydrated spinach (a little) to my rice for color and nutritional value.
Oh no! 3x the recipe. I love a savory breakfast too!
Thanks for this recipe, which I will make this weekend and sound divine. And I agree with you: after Indian, my next fav cuisine is Ethiopian (then Thai, then Vietnamese).
Report back!
Can’t wait to try this. I’m wondering if I have to soak the split peas if I’m cooking them in the IP.
Soak them for 15 minutes while you begin the recipe.
What a beautiful recipe, such a belly cuddle! I made this with green split peas, and it turned out great! I soaked the green split peas overnight, so I only pressure cooked for 5 mins in the instant pot, and it turned out great! I love your Ethiopian recipes, Richa!
Yay! Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Greetings to you, Richa!
I have many other dried lentils, could I use the green or brown lentils if I soak then all night?
I think I like my Brown soaked lentils to cook in the instant pot 23 mins, would that work?
I love all your recipes. Thank you so much!
Yes that will work.
Is it possible to use ground ginger instead of fresh?
Yes you can use ground ginger.
this has become a go-to for our family. sooooo delicious, hearty, and satisfying. thank you!!
Yay!! So glad you like it.
This was very tasty with a quarter teaspoon of berbere (I like my food to have a bit of a kick), but came out pretty soupy. I might reduce the water by a half cup next time.
Glad you liked it!