Yellow Split Peas with Spiced Butter
Inspired by Nigel Slater, this endlessly useful dish works as a side or a main course. Serves 2.
Inspired by Nigel Slater, this endlessly useful dish works as a side or a main course. Serves 2.
- Carbohydrate 44.6540833333333 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 1.47605083333333 g
- Fiber 17.3475337240572 g
- Protein 17.29157 g
- Saturated Fat 0.210096666666667 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (220g)
- Sodium 480.704833333333 mg
- Sugar 27.3065496092762 g
- Trans Fat 0.320823916666667 g
- Calories 251 calories
Step-by-step
- Rinse the split peas in cold running water.
- Put them in a pan with the turmeric and water and bring to the boil.
- Cover with a lid, then simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, till the pulses are almost soft. (Watch the liquid level, adding more if you need.)
- Partially mash the peas with a wooden spoon or potato masher. It is especially satisfying when it is thick and slightly gloopy.
- To finish, melt the butter, then stir in the cumin seed and ginger and let the cumin seed become warm and nutty smelling before adding the lime juice, the chopped chillies and the coriander.
- Put the peas in a bowl and pour over the sizzling spice butter.
Turmeric does the heavy lifting in this pot, staining the split peas a brilliant marigold while imparting an earthy, slightly bitter backbone that requires careful salt balancing at the finish. As pulses sit in the refrigerator over a 48-hour storage window, their starches continue to retrograde, causing the mixture to firm up considerably into a dense paste.
- Monitor the simmering liquid every 10 minutes during the 30-to-40-minute cooking window, replenishing with boiling water rather than cold to prevent the split peas from seizing and toughening prematurely.
- Toast the cumin seeds in foaming butter just until they turn two shades darker and smell intensely nutty, taking care not to let the minced ginger burn in the pan.
- Thin out chilled leftovers with two tablespoons of warm water or vegetable stock per serving before reheating gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat.
- Substitute neutral grapeseed oil for half the butter if you plan to chill the dish and want to prevent the saturated fats from solidifying heavily in the refrigerator.
- Employ a standard wire whisk or a manual potato masher if you lack a wooden spoon to achieve the characteristic thick, textured consistency without over-processing the legumes into a smooth puree.
Transforming day-old portions requires nothing more than reheating the thickened base and topping it with a fresh splash of citrus to wake up the dormant spices. Proper heat control during the spice-blooming phase guarantees aromatic depth without bitterness.
