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Kik Alicha

A hearty stew of yellow split peas with onion, garlic, ginger, and spices, garnished with cilantro.

From the Wikibooks Cookbook · 10 ingredients
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Why it works: Turmeric and cumin match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,698 recipes. Both carry eucalyptol, which smells eucalyptus, herbal. The science ↓

Kik Alicha

Time35–40 minutes

Ingredients

Directions

Prepare

  1. Rinse the yellow split peas under cold water in a strainer to remove any dirt or debris.

  2. Drain the rinsed split peas in a strainer.

Cook the stew

  1. In a medium-sized pot, combine the rinsed split peas, chopped onion, minced garlic, grated ginger, niter kibbeh, turmeric, cumin, paprika, and salt.

  2. Add enough water to cover the split peas by about an inch.

  3. Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat.

  4. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer for about 35–40 minutes, or until the split peas are tender and cooked through.

  5. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

  6. If needed, add additional water during cooking to maintain the desired consistency.

  7. Taste the stew and adjust the seasoning with salt, if necessary.

  8. Remove from heat and let the stew rest for a few minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.

Serve

  1. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro or parsley.

  2. Serve hot as a main course or as part of a traditional Ethiopian meal, accompanied by injera (Ethiopian flatbread) or rice.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

359Calories
7 gProtein
26 gFat
26 gCarbs
What these numbers assume: 12 portions
IngredientPortion assumedkcal
Olive Oil1 tbsp (14g)119
Butter1 tbsp (14g)102
Pea1/2 cup (72g)62
Onion1 medium (110g)44
Turmeric1 tsp ground (3g)9
Cumin1 tsp ground (2.1g)8
Clove1 tsp ground (2g)7
Garlic1 clove (3g)4
Ginger1 tsp grated fresh (2g)2
Cilantro1 tbsp chopped fresh (1g)1
Parsley1 tbsp chopped fresh (3.8g)1
Salt1 tsp (6g)0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Wikibooks Cookbook.

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

  1. Turmeric + cumintop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together1,698 recipes

    Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).

  2. Ginger + turmerictop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together2,776 recipes

    Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).

  3. Clove + gingertop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together6,038 recipes

    Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).

  4. Onion + garlictop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together29,058 recipes

    Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).

  5. Garlic + cumintop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together5,082 recipes

    Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Yellow split peas
Break down during simmering to thicken the stew and give it a creamy body.
Onion
Softens as it cooks, adding sweetness and a savory base to the stew.
Garlic
Adds pungent aroma that mellows and sweetens during simmering.
Niter kibbeh or butter/oil
Carries the spices and adds richness and fat to the stew.
Turmeric
Gives the stew its yellow color and an earthy, warm flavor.

The step that matters

Simmering until the split peas are tender. Split peas need a long, gentle simmer to soften fully and break down; stopping early leaves them firm and grainy. Covered low heat with occasional stirring and added water helps prevent scorching on the bottom of the pot.

Swap the peas

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (onion, clove, garlic, ginger, butter, turmeric, cumin):

  1. Chickpeafits better
  2. Lentilsfits better
  3. Cashew nutfits better
  4. Peasthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against onion, clove, garlic, ginger, butter, turmeric, cumin. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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