The yellow split pea stew recipe is a great dish for busy times. Either make ahead for a weekend and have a big pot full of filling goodness ready for mealtimes, or serve in different versions on weekdays.
One day at the grocery store in an Asian alley, I was looking for yellow split peas. I grabbed what I thought were them and went home. I didn’t notice that I had accidentally picked up split desi chickpeas – chana dal, instead of yellow split peas. At first glance, they looked the same. Luckily, this dish tastes great with any split pulse, so you can use either split peas or split desi chickpeas.
The difference is in cooking time, though. Chana Dal is brown or black chickpeas (kala chana) that have been split and skinned (or polished). They have a nutty flavor compared to split peas, which have a starchy flavor.
Freestyle cooking
The stew, known as Dall, is very versatile. You can prepare it with fresh greens in the spring, cauliflower in the summer, and cabbage in the winter. Shredded kohlrabi is also a great option. Feel free to use whatever ingredients you have on hand!
If you’re not keen on yellow split peas, you can substitute them with chana dal or even lentils. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly, and the dish will turn out just as delicious.
Freestyle cooking opens a whole new world of possibilities in the kitchen. Once you understand the simple combinations, you can make as many stew or soup recipes as your imagination and ingredients allow.
On this sunny, snowy, and everything in between day, I used a frozen Bull’s Heart tomato, which is my favorite, and can be frozen whole. Also from the freezer were used kale, carrots, and homemade vegetable broth.
Soak the split peas in cold water or the desi chickpeas in warm water for about 20 minutes, until everything is chopped and sautéed.
Cooking the stew in the Instant Pot
Yellow Split Pea Stew is a staple in our house because it is simple and quick to prepare, especially in an Instant Pot. Yellow split peas or lentils require 15 minutes of cooking time at high pressure, while split desi chickpeas need 20 to 25 minutes. In the pictures, you can also see the difference in texture. The split chickpeas create a soup-like consistency, while the split peas result in a creamy stew. Try both to find your favorite, or use them for variety.
When using kale, I add it after the pressure cooking is complete, along with cilantro and seasoning, and let the stew come to a boil.
Serving Yellow Split Pea Stew
If you prefer a different dish each day, here are 3 versions: The stew can be served with crispbread, my favorite. It also tastes great as a Dal on rice. Thickened leftovers can be served in homemade pita bread.
Cook once, serve multiple times. The recipe can easily be doubled.
Yellow Split Pea Stew Recipe
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ginger, chopped
- ½ teaspoon red pepper, crushed
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 carrot chopped
- 2 cups cauliflower florets, chopped (or kale, cabbage, kohlrabi)
- 1 cup potatoes, diced
- 2 cups tomatoes, chopped
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 -3 cups of water
- 1 pound Yellow Split Pea (or desi chickpeas, lentils)
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced
- 1 tablespoon miso paste (optional)
- Pepper, Salt, or Bragg's liquid soy to taste
- Start with rinsing and soaking the split peas
- In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, saute onion, add cumin, turmeric, ginger, hot peppers, and garlic
- Add carrots, cauliflower (or Kohlrabi, or cabbage), and tomatoes; saute for 1 minute.
- Stir in broth, water, and peas; bring to a boil.
- Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 35-60 minutes, or until the peas are tender.
- Stir in cilantro (kale if used) and seasoning
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Hi:
I have a recipe I got from your site in 2016 for zucchini Tongues, I’m planning on making today.
I found the link again on your site.
I was looking at your Yellow Split Pea Stew recipe, I have quite a lot of yellow split peas (trying to make more Indian recipes), and I was wondering what you have in your stew, that is some kind of brown bread. I thought it may be a flattened pita, not sure. Thanks!
Glad you liked the zucchini recipe. The bread in the picture is a round crispbread. I get it from the grossery store. The brand is Finn Crisp.
Oh this looks great! I’m going to try it this weekend. Have to dust off the ‘ol instant pot 🙂
Enjoy! It’s a simple and tasty recipe. And if you like it as much as we do, the instant pot will not have a chance to get dusty again ;).