Split Pea Cilantro Dumplings in a Coconut Curry

World Vegetarian Classics by Celia Brooks Brown has become a favorite cookbook of mine. There are over 250 straightforward vegetarian recipes from around the globe, and each one is adapted to the modern kitchen. The instructions are easy to follow, the pictures divine and each chapter begins with a bit of history on each region's vegetarian traditions.

This book has served me well when I wanted a quick but flavourful dinner idea, and also when I wanted something to serve to esteemed dinner guests. Each recipe has a certain elegance, even the most basic dishes, and you simply can't fail to be inspired as you flip through the colourful pages.

Wanting to make a special meal for a dear friend on his birthday, I decided upon these split peas dumplings with a coconut curry sauce. This dish is from Mauritius and the Indian influence on this African island's culinary traditions is very much apparent here. There are a few steps to this recipe, but it is truly a delight to make and well worth the effort when you sit down with your plate to savour the little curry coated pea cakes on a bed of hot rice.

Split Pea Cilantro Dumplings in a Coconut Curry


For the dumplings:

generous 1/2 cup of chana dal or yellow split peas
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
2 - 3 green chilies, chopped
4 tablespoons of unbleached white flour
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped
oil for frying

For the Curry:

2 teaspoons of cumin seeds
2 teaspoons of coriander seeds
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
2 fresh red chilies, chopped
1 teaspoon of turmeric
dash of cayenne pepper
seeds from 4 brown cardamom pods
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
1 cup of yogurt
2 14-ounce cans of coconut milk
3/4 cup of frozen peas

Soak the chana dal (or yellow split peas) in enough water to cover overnight.

Drain the beans, and transfer to a blender or food processor. Add the garlic, ginger and chili. Add a bit of water, and process until you get a smooth paste. Now add the flour, baking powder, salt and cilantro. Blend until well combined.

Heat a 1/2 inch or so of oil in a frying pan until it is hot, but not smoking. When a small bit of the batter sizzles, you will know it is ready. Drop heaping teaspoons of the batter into the oil and fry until they are golden, taking care to flip them with tongs to ensure they brown evenly. Drain on paper towels. Transfer to a plate and keep them warm in an oven heated to 225 degrees.

For the curry, begin by toasting the cumin and coriander seeds in a dry frying pan over medium heat until they darken a bit. This should take a minute or two. Transfer to a blender or food processor along with the garlic, ginger, red chilies, turmeric, cayenne, cardamom pod seeds, yogurt and salt. Process until smooth. Pour this mixture into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for a few minutes to thicken. Now add the coconut milk, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low, cover and cook for about 15 minutes. Add the frozen peas, cook for another few minutes and add the dumplings to the pot.

Serve over a bed of hot rice.

Serves 4.