This comforting and satiating yellow split pea, kale + potato curry warms from the inside out. Onions and chopped plum tomatoes are sautéed with lots of garlic, a fresh serrano chile, and plenty of warming spices. The spices—cumin seed, turmeric, and a pinch of garam masala—are "bloomed" with a combination of oil and heat to intensify and liven their flavors. Then, finely chopped kale is stirred in and cooked until it just begins to wilt. Next, dried yellow split peas and cubed potatoes are simmered in that rich spiced broth until tender. The dish is finished with fresh cilantro. Serve this cozy curry warm alongside heaps of basmati rice.
To my fellow friends in the U.S., I hope you had a wonderful holiday weekend full of good food, friends, family, and laughter. To my friends elsewhere, I hope you had a lovely and restful weekend too!
After a week away from this space, it feels so good to be back. I planned to share two posts last week but realized that I was should-ing myself into doing so. My usual thoughts of "I want to share two posts this week" were replaced by "I should get those two blog posts written this week," and I've learned that "should-ing" myself into doing something is a symptom of frantic forcing (as opposed to faithful flowing).
In the past, I would have forced my way through and gotten those posts up no matter the toll it took on my spirit, energy, inspiration etc., but no one wins in that scenario. You'd be offered two half-hearted posts that left something to be desired, and I'd be reinforcing the same old burnout narrative that I've been working so hard to rewrite. We both deserve better than that.
So instead of frantically forcing, I flowed my way through last week.
I did hours and hours of outreach for an exciting cookbook-related giveaway (stay tuned later this week) on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday was spent cooking up a Thanksgiving storm and getting our condo ready for the nearly 20 guests we hosted on Thursday. Friday and Saturday included sleeping in, lots of quality family time, and even some festive holiday decorating.
There was so much relaxation and fun that by the time Sunday rolled around, I was eager to sit down and write this post. Life flows in the most effortless ways when we pause from the hustle long enough to hear the wisdom of our intuition, trust in the guidance we receive, and honor it accordingly. It's kind of amazing.
Also amazing? Animated GIFs and this yellow split pea, kale + potato curry.
Please don't be intimidated by the long cook time. It's cooked in a similar style to dal, so most of it is hands-off simmering. Onions and chopped plum tomatoes are sautéed with lots of garlic, a fresh serrano chile, and plenty of warming spices. The spices—cumin seed, turmeric, and a pinch of garam masala—are "bloomed" with a combination of oil and heat to intensify and liven their flavors. Then, finely chopped kale is stirred in and cooked until it just begins to wilt.
Next, you'll stir in several cups of water or vegetable broth, dried yellow split peas, and cubed potatoes. Bring everything to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for one hour, or until the split peas are very tender. Finally, generously season with sea salt, stir in a handful of fresh cilantro leaves, and serve warm alongside heaps of basmati rice.
This is a comforting and satiating curry that warms from the inside out. Plus, it's packed with plant-based protein and fiber—13 grams and 15 grams per serving, respectively.
📖 Recipe
Yellow Split Pea, Kale + Potato Curry
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons virgin coconut oil or olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 medium plum tomatoes, cored and finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 serrano pepper or small jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
- 1 tablespoon peeled and minced ginger root
- 2 teaspoons peeled and minced turmeric root
- 2 teaspoons whole cumin seed or 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric
- ⅛ teaspoon garam masala
- 2 cups heaping stemmed and finely chopped curly kale
- 5 cups filtered water or low-sodium vegetable broth, plus more if desired
- 1 ¼ cups dried yellow split peas, picked through and thoroughly rinsed
- 1 ¾ pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and sliced into ½-inch cubes (about 4 medium potatoes)
- 2 ½ teaspoons sea salt or to taste
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped, plus more to taste
- 4 cups cooked basmati rice (optional to serve)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. Add the onion and tomatoes, and cook for 5 minutes, or until the onion begins to soften. Stir in the garlic, jalapeño, ginger, turmeric root, cumin seed, ground turmeric, and garam masala. Cook for another 2 minutes, or until the spices are fragrant, the cumin seeds begin to pop, and the onion is soft and translucent, stirring frequently. Then, stir in the kale and cook for another 2 minutes, or until it just begins to wilt.
- Add the filtered water, split peas, and potatoes. Give everything a good stir, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, or until the split peas are very tender and beginning to break down into the broth, stirring occasionally.
- Season with the sea salt. If desired, stir in another 1 to 1 ½ cups filtered water to thin the curry, and season with more sea salt to taste.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the fresh cilantro just before serving. Serve the curry on its own or alongside a mound of basmati rice. If desired, garnish with more cilantro, to taste.
Nutrition
Karlie says
Oh I love seeing a use for yellow split peas, they are a protein I rarely use! And I agree, when you let your life flow it is a lot more enjoyable. Thanks for sharing.
Ellen Lederman says
Missed you! Your posts start my day off right, but well worth waiting for---and we all need to recharge (just watched a TED lecture last night about this---a psychiatrist thinks we compete too much and "gather"/buy things excessively, at the expense of our well-being and sacrifice play and rest).
This post came at the perfect time---I had to acknowledge yesterday that I can't seem to eat Indian food out at restaurants any more, due to acid reflux (yup, vegans can get this---mine isn't due to diet, but mechanical failure, including a hiatal hernia), but I can cook it at home where I can adjust the heat and oil level. This sound great. Love that you used fresh turmeric. Do you wear gloves when you peel and chop it? I find it stains my hands for about a day or so...
Alex says
Ooh, yummy! I love a good dal-like stew on a chilly evening :)
I also have to ask: where did you get that little geometric blue-lavender napkin you used in the photos?? It's so pretty!
Ashley says
Thanks, Alex! The geometric napkin is from Anthropologie. If memory serves me, I believe it came in a pack of four (each of the four napkins was a different print), and I found them there last fall.
Stella @ Stellicious Life says
I LOVE split pea, and this looks like the perfect healthy, warming comfort food for chilly nights. Glad to hear you had a lovely long-weekend and got some much needed rest and already decorated your tree! Boyfriend doesn't want to decorate the tree too early, and though I try to sway him, until he gives in (or the time he deems appropriate comes ;-) we'll decorate the apartment with festive decorations :-)
Sarah | Well and Full says
Welcome back! :) I've been really into curries lately - they're so warming and perfect for the colder weather! Plus I love how healthy this is. <3
Shawn @ I Wash You Dry says
I love me some curry! This looks absolutely perfect!
Ashley says
Thanks, Shawn!
jess says
This recipe sounds delicious! Love the indian flavours. Can't wait to give it a try!
Ashley says
Thanks so much, Jess! Hope you enjoy! xo
Celeste Jackson says
I love the color and flavor of curries. This looks like the perfect recipe for the cooler rainy weather we are having. Warms my heart just looking at it. Can't wait to make this!
Sue says
Thank you for sharing this lovely recipe. We made it Saturday evening and had a friend over to enjoy it with us. It makes a plentiful pot. We ate the leftovers yesterday. Exquisite!
Darlene says
Looks great! Couldn’t find yellow split peas. Can green split peas be substituted?
Ashley says
Hi, Darlene! Yes, you can substitute green split peas—will just have a slightly different flavor. Enjoy!
Darlene says
Perfect! I’m making them tonight! =)
Gwenyth Wren says
Can I use lentils instead of split peas??? I have red and green to choose from!
Ashley says
Hi, Gwenyth! Yes, I'd imagine red lentils will work well in place of the split peas and will dramatically reduce the cooking time, too. You likely also want to reduce the amount of liquid and add more as needed to thin. Would love to know how it goes if you have a chance to report back!
Tracey Slater says
Never made dhal before, but made this tonight and it is lovely. I had a couple of peppers so they went in too along with a tbsp of lime juice. Just perfect. Lunch tommorrow.
Ashley says
So glad you enjoyed it, Tracey! Thanks for taking time out of your day to share your adjustments, feedback, and rating. Means a lot to me and is helpful for others making the recipe, too. :)