Yellow Split Pea Millet Cakes with Carrot-Miso Sauce

• 1/2 cup yellow split peas
• 1/2 cup millet
• 1/2 cup cashews (walnuts and pecans will also work nicely)
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 white or yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pinch black pepper
• 1/2 cup whole grain or gluten free bread crumbs

• 2 cups steamed carrots
• 1/2 – 2/3 cup water
• 2 teaspoons low sodium tamari
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon miso paste (I like to use mellow white miso, but brown or red would be fine)
• 1 pitted medjool date (or 2 teaspoons maple syrup)
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Instructions

1. To make the carrot miso sauce, steam or boil the carrots till they’re tender (about 15 minutes). Drain them and transfer them to a blender. Add the water, tamari, vinegar, miso, the date, and sesame oil. Blend till smooth. Add extra water as needed, depending on how thick you’d like the sauce to be. Dressing makes about 1 3/4 – 2 cups, and will keep in a sealed container for up to five days in the fridge.
2. Rinse the split peas and add them to a small pot with enough water to cover them by a few inches. Rinse the millet and add it to a small pot, along with 1 1/4 cups water. Bring both pots to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the millet has absorbed the liquid. Fluff the millet with a fork, cover it, and allow it to sit for a few minutes. Check the peas by fishing out a few and tasting them; they should be tender but firm, and hold their shape. If they’re not done, give them an extra 5-10 minutes. When the peas are ready, drain them and transfer them to a large bowl. Add the cooked millet.
3. Heat a small or medium sized frying pan over medium low heat. Add the cashews and toast until they’re fragrant and golden. Transfer them to a food processor fitted with the S blade and process into a fine meal.
4. Preheat your oven to 350F. Add the two teaspoons of olive oil to the frying pan and add the onion. Sautee the onion for 5-8 minutes, or until it’s very tender and clear and golden. Add the garlic and grated ginger and sautee for another 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture is super fragrant, adding a few tablespoons of water to prevent sticking if needed. Stir in the turmeric powder and salt.
5. Mix the onion mixture into the millet and split peas. Transfer 3/4 of the mixture to your food processor, adding them to the ground cashews. Pulse continuously for about 30 seconds to break the mixture down. Add this mix to the remaining, whole split peas, millet, and onions in your mixing bowl, combine everything well. Using clean hands, shape the mixture into 12 small cakes. (If the mixture seems overly dry, you can add a few tablespoons of water.)
6. Press each cake into the bread crumbs, if using, covering both sides. Transfer them to a lightly oiled or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until they’re crisp on the outside, flipping once halfway through. Serve with the carrot miso sauce and some chopped parsley, if desired. Leftover cakes will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.