East African Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Kik Alicha
Gently spiced yellow split peas simmered with turmeric, ginger, and garlic into a smooth, mild, golden stew. Soothing, wholesome, and perfect on injera.
Contains common allergens
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Instructions
7 steps- 1
Rinse the split peas well and pick over for debris, then place in a pot with the water and bring to a boil.
- 2
Reduce heat to low, skim off any foam, and simmer uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peas are soft and starting to break down.
- 3
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a separate skillet over medium heat and saute the onion for 6 to 8 minutes until soft and golden.
- 4
Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, then stir in the turmeric and cardamom and toast for 30 seconds.
- 5
Pour the onion mixture into the pot of split peas along with the jalapenos, if using, and season with salt.
- 6
Simmer uncovered for another 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and mashing some of the peas against the side of the pot, until the stew is smooth, thick, and golden.
- 7
Adjust salt to taste and serve warm, traditionally spooned onto injera.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
69/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving100
Calories
6 g
Protein
18 g
Carbs
0 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Kik alicha is a mild Ethiopian split pea stew eaten throughout the year and especially prominent during the frequent Orthodox Christian fasting periods when meat and dairy are prohibited. The word 'alicha' distinguishes it from hotter wat-style stews: it is made without berbere, relying on turmeric for its gentle golden color and ginger for warmth without chile heat. It is a staple wot served on beyaynetu platters alongside spicier dishes, providing a cooling, protein-rich counterpoint on a piece of injera.
Listahan note
This version builds the flavor base with a slow-cooked onion that is allowed to soften fully before the spices are added, ensuring the stew has a sweet, mellow body that contrasts well with spicier companions on the plate.
Technique cues
- Cook the onion in oil without any added liquid until it is completely soft and beginning to turn golden — Ethiopian cooking often calls for 15-20 minutes of patient onion cooking, which creates a natural sweet base that no amount of added sugar can replicate.
- Yellow split peas do not need soaking but rinsing them until the water runs mostly clear removes surface starch that would otherwise make the finished stew gummy and thick in an unpleasant way.
- Add the turmeric with the garlic and ginger rather than at the end of cooking — turmeric blooms in fat and its flavor compounds need heat and oil contact to fully develop, giving the stew its characteristic mellow golden warmth.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Rinse the split peas in a colander while the onion begins to cook; mince the garlic and grate the ginger during the onion's cooking time.
- Make-ahead
- Kik alicha is an excellent make-ahead dish — it thickens and improves in flavor overnight; make up to 3 days ahead and reheat gently with a splash of water.
- Leftover move
- Leftover kik alicha can be thinned with water or broth and pureed into a smooth split pea soup; serve with crusty bread for a completely different meal.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Soak the pot immediately after serving — split pea starch sticks when it dries; the rest of the prep uses a single knife and cutting board.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
1.5 cups yellow split peas (rinsed)
primary protein and starch
Purpose: Yellow split peas break down during cooking to form a naturally thick, creamy stew body while retaining just enough structure to distinguish them from a pure puree.
Handling: Rinse in several changes of cold water until the water is no longer cloudy; no soaking is required.
Adaptation: Red lentils cook faster and produce a smoother result; green split peas can be used but take longer to soften and have a more assertive flavor.
1 large onion (finely diced)
sweet aromatic base
Purpose: A thoroughly cooked onion provides the natural sweetness and body that gives alicha its mild, gentle character distinct from berbere-spiced wats.
Handling: Dice as finely as possible so the onion essentially dissolves into the oil during the long cooking, becoming part of the sauce rather than a distinct element.
Adaptation: Shallots work well; use 4-5 medium shallots for a slightly more delicate sweetness.
1 tsp ground turmeric
color and mild warmth
Purpose: Turmeric gives kik alicha its signature golden color and a faintly earthy warmth that distinguishes it from a plain pea stew without adding any chile heat.
Handling: Add to the oil with the garlic and ginger, stirring for 30 seconds to bloom before any liquid is added.
Adaptation: No direct substitute for color; if unavailable, the stew will taste similar but be pale rather than golden.
1 tbsp grated ginger
brightness and warmth
Purpose: Fresh ginger provides the clean, sharp warmth that is the main 'heat' in an alicha stew, balancing the sweetness of the onion and the earthiness of the split peas.
Handling: Grate on a microplane or fine grater so it incorporates smoothly into the sauce without stringy pieces.
Adaptation: Half a teaspoon of ground ginger can substitute; add it with the turmeric in the oil.
3 cloves garlic (minced)
aromatic depth
Purpose: Garlic adds a savory, pungent undertone that keeps the mild stew from tasting flat; it is added early so it has time to mellow during cooking.
Handling: Mince finely or grate; cook for 1-2 minutes in the oil before the liquid is added to avoid raw garlic flavor in the finished dish.
Adaptation: Half a teaspoon of garlic powder stirred in with the turmeric is a reasonable substitute.
Technique notes
- The stew is done when a split pea smashed between your fingers has no hard white center; cooking past this point produces a smoother, thicker stew, which is equally traditional depending on regional preference.
- Season with salt only after the peas are fully cooked — adding salt too early can slow the softening of legumes significantly.
- For an ultra-smooth kik alicha, use an immersion blender to puree about one-third of the stew and stir it back in; this thickens the sauce without adding any starch.
Ingredient swaps
- Vegan direction
- The dish is already vegan when made with oil rather than niter kibbeh; simply ensure the oil used is plant-based.
- Lower sodium
- Use a low-sodium vegetable broth in place of plain water for deeper flavor without additional salt.
- Heat addition
- Add the optional sliced jalapeno at the start of cooking or stir in a teaspoon of berbere at the end for a spiced version sometimes called kik wat alicha.
Serve alongside
- injera for scooping
- gomen (Ethiopian collard greens) as a bitter counterpoint
- misir wat (spiced red lentils) for contrast on a beyaynetu platter
- Ethiopian tej (honey wine)
- sparkling water with a squeeze of lemon
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days; the stew thickens considerably when cold.
- Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat with 2-3 tablespoons of water, stirring to restore the original consistency.
- Freezes well for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat with added water as needed.
Equipment
- medium heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
- microplane or fine grater for ginger
- wooden spoon
- colander for rinsing peas
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