Last week we shared a traditional Ugandan recipe with you and this week, we’re bringing you an Ethiopian favorite, Kik Alicha, by the Hall family!
Andy and Margaret Hall live in South Carolina with their three kids, Jamie, Ella, and Eyob. A few years ago, the family of four traveled to Ethiopia to make it a family of five! They adopted an eight year old boy named Eyob. I got the chance to cook with them and talk about that adoption process. Eyob was extremely eager to make his favorite Ethiopian meal, Kik Alicha, and he wasn’t shy of the camera either!
Kendyle: What is your favorite thing about Eyob?
Margaret: One of our favorite things about Eyob is his sweet, caring spirit. If he sees a homeless person he wants to give them all his money. Or if he sees a small child struggling to do something he goes to help them. He is “buddies” with most of the younger kids at school and church and they really look up to him.
Kendyle: Why do you desire to keep Eyob’s culture alive and relevant in her life?
Margaret: We believe it is important for Eyob to grow up being proud of where he came from. He sometimes comments that he wants his skin to be white like ours. We remind him of the amazing country that he and his first family are from and the things his country has overcome and the history of his birth country.
Kendyle: What are some of the ways you incorporate Eyob’s heritage in his daily life?
Margaret: “We try to always keep him up on events going on in Ethiopia and point out athletes from his home country that we are aware of (because he loves all things sports related).”
***Recipe below***
Ethiopian Kik Alicha
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large red onions, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
2 cups water or chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup yellow split peas, soaked overnight and rinsed
Directions:
- In a large saucepan over medium low heat, dry cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften
- Add the oil and when it begins to sputter, add the garlic and ginger and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute
- Add the water, turmeric, salt, and pepper
- Cover and bring to a boil
- Add the split peas, return to a boil and partially cover, reduce heat and maintain a simmer until peas have softened, around 45-60 minutes
- You may need to add more water
