If yellow split peas aren’t something you use very often, get ready for a fabulous way to put them to use!
Crispy, spicy and flavorful, these Burmese yellow split pea fritters can be served as appetizers or the main course with your favorite dipping sauce. Â They can also be thought of as Burmese falafel and are wonderful served up in pita bread with veggies and drizzled with a refreshing yogurt sauce.
Most commonly referred to as Burma, the nation’s official name is the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, a sovereign state in Southeast Asia bordered by India, Thailand, Bangladesh, China and Laos. Â Burma’s cultural influences are as varied as their nation’s different ethnic groups and their cuisine covers the range of seafood, meat, poultry rice, noodles, wheat, potatoes, tomatoes, beans and a variety of fermented foods.
A simple and naturally vegetarian, vegan and gluten free dish, these Burmese split yellow pea fritters are deliciously flavorful and can be prepped well in advance.
Let’s get started!
Rinse and soak the yellow split peas overnight. Â Be sure to thoroughly drain and pat them dry or the fritter mixture will be too wet.
Place all of the ingredients in a food processor.
Pulse the ingredients to form a semi-smooth and gritty paste with some chunks of peas. Do not over-process.
Form the mixture into patties (they will very moist). Cover and refrigerate the patties for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Heat some oil in a frying pan and fry the patties on both sides until golden brown.
Serve with your choice of dipping sauce (eg, chili sauce). Â You can also use these fritters likeBurmese-style falafel with pita bread, veggies and a yogurt sauce.
Enjoy!
Burmese Yellow Split Pea Fritters (Baya Kyaw)
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried yellow split peas ,rinsed and soaked overnight and throughly drained and patted dry
- 1 medium yellow onions ,finely chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 red chili pepper ,minced (remove seeds if you prefer it not spicy)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 teaspoons fresh minced ginger root
- 2 cloves garlic ,minced
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients in a food processor. Make sure the peas have been thoroughly drained otherwise the mixture will be too wet. Pulse the ingredients to form a semi-smooth and gritty paste with some chunks of peas. Do not over-process.
- Form the mixture into patties (they will very moist). Cover and refrigerate the patties for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Heat some oil in a frying pan and fry the patties on both sides until golden brown.
- Serve with your choice of dipping sauce or use as a Burmese-style falafel with pita bread, veggies and a yogurt sauce.
Katie says
These look delicious! I’ve recently decided to become vegetarian (again)- I’d love to see even more vegetarian dishes on your great blog ;0)
Sharon @ What the Fork Food Blog says
YUMMY! I love this! It is so different but it sounds delicious too!
Renee - Kudos Kitchen says
I’ve never seen anything like these but I’ll bet they’re amazing. I love the crispy outer crust and the look and color of the creamy inside. Perfect for a meatless main course. I’ll need to try these!
Dee says
These look so tasty — perfect for a snack or light lunch!
Katerina @ Diethood says
Oh man, all those flavors! This looks and sounds SO darn good!
Angie says
These pea fritters look so good! I love learning how to do new things, and they are so cute, my kids will love them!
Debra A Attinella says
What a great idea – we love fritters!
Lauren Kelly Nutrition says
I can’t even tell you how much I LOVE These!! They are so pretty!
Kacey @ The Cookie Writer says
I have never been a huge fan of peas, but split pea soup is soooo good, so I know I would love these fritters! Such a fun recipe!
Justine | Cooking and Beer says
I love your photos! I would go crazy for these fritters. Split peas are my favorite!
Alisa Fleming says
I love all of the culture that goes along with this dish, and it looks so wonderfully flavorful, yet simple. Pinned it!
Dee Dee (My Midlife Kitchen) says
I love the flavors and textures in this recipe! What a fantastic way to use an under-used ingredient like the yellow split pea. Yum!
Citra Kale @Citra's Home Diary says
I visited Burma once long time ago, and ate this. The taste almost like Indonesian corn fritter. Thx for sharing this recipe Kim! great post!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
Perfect timing! I just bought a bag of yellow split peas the other week!
Adriana Lopez-Martin says
What a fabulous and easy idea. Great for appetizers too. In my culture we do something like this but with black beans and it is heavenly. I must try this recipe soon =)