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Kik Alicha (Yellow Split Pea Stew)

Name: Kik Alicha (Yellow Split Pea Stew)
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Ethiopian
Ingredients: 2 cups yellow split peas; 1 onion, chopped; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated; 1 tsp turmeric; 3 tbsp niter kibbeh; salt to taste; 4 cups water

Kik Alicha (Yellow Split Pea Stew) reads allium 5.8, sourness 5.0 and salinity 4.0 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Ethiopian main, about 25 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 4.6 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 1.4 / 10
Sour & Bright — 5.0 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 2.4 / 10
Rich & Fat — 1.9 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 6.2 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Allium 5.8 · Sourness 5.0 · Salinity 4.0 · Warm Spice 2.7 · Marine & Briny 2.5 · Earthy 2.2 · Umami 2.0 · Funk & Ferment 1.9 · Richness 1.7 · Floral 1.6 · Bitterness 1.4 · Sweetness 1.4 · Herbaceous 1.2 · Nutty 0.6

What's in it (8)

2 cups yellow split peas
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp turmeric
3 tbsp niter kibbeh
salt to taste
4 cups water

Time & effort: about 25 min · effort: medium

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 26.7 kcal, 0.6 g protein, 0.3 g fat, 5.4 g carbs

Dietary: Vegan — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (4 steps)

Rinse split peas and boil in water until completely soft and starting to break down.
Saute onion in niter kibbeh until golden, add garlic, ginger, and turmeric and cook briefly.
Combine the onion mixture with the cooked peas, mashing roughly and adjusting with water to a thick, creamy consistency.
Season with salt and simmer together for 10 more minutes to blend flavors.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Misir Wat (Red Lentil Stew) — Ethiopian
Gomen Wat (Spiced Collard Greens) — Ethiopian
Főzelék — Hungarian
Utopenci (Pickled Sausages, the Drowned Men) — Czech
Shiro Wat (Chickpea Flour Stew) — Ethiopian

Keep reading: what allium, sourness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.