Skip to content

Atter kik

Ethiopian split chickpea lentil sauce with ginger, garlic and turmeric

A mild, golden Ethiopian lentil sauce (kik alicha) of split bengal gram lentils simmered with onion, ginger, garlic, a pinch of turmeric and green chilli until thick and creamy. It's gentle and soothing next to the fiery missir wat. Serve hot with injera.
Total time
55 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
4
One step at a time, big text, timers, read-aloud. Your screen stays on.

Ingredients

Serves4

Shop this recipe on Amazon

Fresh ingredients (2)

Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.

Method

0/4 done
  1. Step 1: Heat 4 tbsp oil in a pan and sauté 2 onions until soft. Add 1 tsp ginger paste and 1 tsp garlic paste and cook for 1 minute.

    6 min
  2. Step 2: Add the drained 3 ⅓ oz bengal gram lentils (chana dal) and 2 cups water and cook, covered, until the lentils are tender.

    30 min
  3. Step 3: Add 1 pinch ground turmeric, 2 green chillies, ¼ tsp ground white pepper and ¾ tsp salt and cook for 10 minutes, until the gravy thickens.

    10 min
  4. Step 4: Serve the atter kik hot with injera.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
200 kcal
Protein
6 g
Carbs
18 g
Fat
12 g
Fibre
5 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does atter kik take?
About 55 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegan?
Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
Is it gluten free?
Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
What can I use instead of bengal gram lentils (chana dal)?
Yellow split peas, same amount.
What can I use instead of onions?
2 shallots per onion.

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.

Rate this recipe

Sign in to rate and review this recipe.

Sayur lodeh

Sayur lodeh is everyday cooking in Central Java, made in big pots in Solo and Semarang kitchens and ladled over rice, with lontong rice cakes at Lebaran, or alongside opor and sambal goreng on festive tables. It's soupy rather than thick: a fragrant broth of coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass and lime leaf that carries chunks of aubergine, long beans, chayote and sweetcorn, plus tempeh and tofu to make it a meal. The flavour is mellow and slightly sweet, so the heat comes from sambal on the side. Chef's tip: keep the pot at a gentle simmer once the coconut milk goes in and stir now and then — a rolling boil splits the coconut milk into oily curds.

by KrazyBadal 3 views

Coastal Mombasa mix

A Mombasa street-food bowl: chickpeas and potato simmered in coconut milk with raw mango and chilli, ladled into small bowls and topped with crisp lentil fritters, crunchy chevdo and red, green and tamarind chutneys. Make the fritters and chevdo ahead and assemble at the table. It's sweet, sour, hot and crunchy all at once.

by KrazyBadal 1 views

Polos curry

Polos is the tiny unripe jackfruit picked in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces long before it sweetens, and cooked low and slow it becomes one of the island's most loved festival curries, especially at Sinhala and Tamil New Year in April and at wedding lunches. The firm, pale flesh soaks up a very dark roasted curry powder, garlic, ginger, goraka (a smoky souring fruit) and coconut milk until it turns almost black-brown and tastes rich, sour and meaty. Fresh polos is hard to find abroad; tinned young green jackfruit in brine works well. A frequent mistake is not cooking it long enough, which leaves it squeaky; the pieces must be soft enough to break with a spoon. Chef's tip: oil your hands and knife before cutting fresh jackfruit; the sticky white sap washes off oiled skin but not dry skin.

by KrazyBadal 1 views