I had a sudden craving for this dish, so we decided to try this recipe: https://www.ncregister.com/blog/veronica-musie-kik-wot
Perhaps because the author of the recipe is a restaurant owner who probably cooks by instinct, we found her instructions vague and incomplete. Here is how we made it: first, to cook the 1 cup of split peas, we washed, drained, and then placed in a medium sauce pot with about 2 cups of water, 1/2 tsp baking soda (to improve digestion), and 1/2 tsp salt. We brought to a boil uncovered, then reduced to a low-medium simmer until the peas were tender (about 25 mins). Once completed, we drained in a sieve but also set aside some of the pea cooking liquid for later (we did not discard it). Second, in our large Ultimate Pan, we heated 3 Tbsp canola oil (not olive) on medium heat, then added 1 finely diced yellow onion. Once it browned, we added the drained cooked peas, 1 Tbsp garlic (microplaned), and 1 tsp ground turmeric. I prefer a non-soupy stew, so we carefully added back only enough pea liquid (2 Tbsp) to achieve the desired consistency (which may be chunkier than what others prefer). Then we folded in 1 Tbsp microplaned ginger. Because we wanted a mild dish, we did not stir in the fresh jalapeño. Instead, we used a few julienned pieces for garnish only. We served this with leftover injera that we picked up at an Ethiopian cafe the day before. If you don’t have injera, this dish probably would go well with basmati or brown jasmine rice. (Jan. 2023)
Note: Although we did not make this recipe, it offered useful tips on cooking split peas generally: https://www.thespruceeats.com/indian-yellow-split-pea-dal-recipe-3378495
Cooking Adventures 