We love this split pea soup! It is especially welcoming and warming in the winter, but we enjoy it all year round. Serve it up with some Daddy Bread, or over a scoop of brown rice to complete the meal.
Tip: The seasonings for this soup can be a very mild way of introducing kids (or adults) to the curry and spice flavors common in Indian and Mediterranean cooking.
Ingredients:
1 Diced Onion
1 T Olive Oil
1 clove grated Garlic
1 stick diced celery (optional)
½ t Oregano
¼ t black pepper
1 t Curry Powder
½ t Chili Powder
½ cup Diced Carrot
½ cup Diced Potato
1 cup Dried Split Peas
4-6 cups Water
Salt to taste
1/2 cup Frozen Peas
Process:
Place a large stock pot on the stove and begin warming it, while dicing the onion.
Add olive oil, onion and spices. Let the onion sauté for a bit.
Add the carrots, celery (optional,) and garlic at the same time. This mix keeps the garlic from burning. Let these veggies sauté for a minute or two on their own, before adding the potato.
Add the potatoes and cook a few more minutes.
Mix in the dried peas, then add the water. Cook on the stove for a half hour or more while the beans, potatoes and carrots become tender.
Add more water as needed to keep the consistency soupy. If it seems too watery, just let it cook down!
Add the frozen peas at the end, just enough to warm them up. We frequently use up left-over dinner peas in this step.
Run about ¾ of the soup through a food processor to get it creamy. If it still seems too watery after it is pureed, put it back on the stove (Uncovered!) to cook down to the desired consistency.
If you like a garnish, try a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt, or a sprinkle of shredded carrots added to the a bowl of soup just before it is served.
Yum!