I first tried a version of this Varanasi Yellow Split Pea Curry at a buffet breakfast in a hotel on a recent trip to India . Actually it was the Persian Prince who got it. I just got to try it from his plate. It was so simple but very delicious that I had to get a bowl for myself. This is very similar to another Yellow Split Pea dish we make often- the Persian SplitYellow Peas and Lime Stew.
As luck would have it, our flight back to Delhi the next day got cancelled . If we had to make our connecting flight back home we had to catch a flight somehow that night. So we were bussed from Varanasi airport to Lucknow airport which is about 200 kilometres away. But we were in India, so it took about 5 and half hours on the road. Anyway,before I get sidetracked, the people from the Airline Indigo were very nice, and indeed it wasn’t their fault. Our plane just could not land because the pollution levels that day was severe.
One Memorable Yellow Split Pea Curry
We got served another version of this Yellow Split Pea Curry at the Lucknow airport, courtesy of the airline IndiGo, but this time instead of potatoes it had cubes of tofu. You would think, but this time I would be sick of curry. But I do love curries, and I’m happy to try any kind specially vegetarian ones. It was also memorable in another way, because I was wearing my very last clean shirt , which happened to be white(of course) and because of the mad dash here and there, I wore half of the curry sauce on me. On a happy note, we made it to the airport on time and I promised myself I had to recreate this curry when I got home.
Anyway here we are with my copy cat version of that memorable Varanasi Yellow Split Pea Curry. The curry itself is mild but very flavourful. It uses simple ingredients which you probably have in your cupboard right now. I hope you give it a try. If you make it, let me know via the comments section below, or even just to say hello, I would love to hear from you.
Yellow Split Pea Curry
4
servings10
minutes30
minutesEasy and delicious Yellow split Pea Curry
Ingredients
1 Tablespoon Cooking Oil
1 Onion, peeled and diced
2 Tomatoes, diced
1 thumb sized Ginger, grated
1 Teaspoon Turmeric
1 Teaspoon Cumin
1 Tablespoon Curry Powder
1 Cup split Yellow Peas
1 small Potato,peeled and diced
3 Cups Stock or 2teaspoons Vegetable Stock Powder (like Vegeta) dissolved in 3 cups water
Salt t and Pepper to taste
handful of chopped Baby Spinach for garnish or any herbs of your choice
Directions
- Heat cooking oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Add diced onion and cook until transparent and fragrant.
- Add diced tomatoes and grated ginger to the pan and cook until tomatoes are soft and have released its juices. Add cumin turmeric and curry powder and cook for 1 minute. Then add the diced potato split peas, pour the stock over the peas and bring to a boil. Once boiling reduce the heat to low and simmer until the yellow peas are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Correct seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. If the curry is too thick, add more water to your desired consistency.
- Garnish with a bit of chopped baby spinach if desired.
- Serve with steamed basmati rice or some bread and yoghurt.
Notes
- serve warm with Basmati Rice or Flat Bread. For the Indigo Airline Version add a handful of diced tofu during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
