I don’t usually forward chain-letter emails, but I do enjoy being involved in the recipe ones. Just like with potlucks and Junior League cookbooks, I think people tend to contribute their showstopping home run recipes to group efforts. Unfortunately, only one or two of the people to whom I forward the recipe chain letter actually forward it to friends of their own, so the chain unceremoniously dies with me, always.
My dream = an inbox laden like a Thanksgiving cornucopia with 36 “best” recipes from all over the globe
My reality = two measly recipes, one of which is for something I cannot stand to eat
But I remain ever hopeful.
Can you smell this tantalizing aroma already??
This recipe was my entire haul from a recent such exchange, and when I first glanced at it I thought, crap, I hate split pea soup. It’s my mother’s favorite, but evidently I did not inherit that gene. A few weeks later, though, I ate at Polka Restaurant where they start you off with a soup of the day, and I loved that soup and thought it must be a lot like that recipe I got via email. So I dug up the email and gave the recipe a shot, and I’m glad I did. Thanks, Bryn! I should have trusted you. Yellow split peas are much tastier than those horrid green ones.
Do not skimp on the curry powder. I know that three tablespoons of curry powder sounds like waaaay too much, but it isn’t. It’s perfect. And since you’re using a lot of it, you might as well use good stuff (I use Penzeys Maharajah blend).
This recipe makes a lot of soup, so use the biggest pot you’ve got (or cut the recipe in half, obvs). I have to start it in one pot but split it into two pots at the “add water” step until everything cooks down substantially, at which point I combine the two.
The potato is my addition to Bryn’s recipe, because the Polka version had some. It makes a hearty soup even heartier but could be easily omitted.
Also, I found that 14 cups of water wasn’t nearly enough. But instead of adding more and more water and ending up with more and more soup, I employ one of my favorite soup tricks, which is to keep it intentionally thick and sock most of it away in the freezer for later. In a very concentrated form it takes up less freezer space. I let the too-thick soup cool, then portion it into freezer bags and lay them flat in the freezer until they freeze solid. Then on a day when you come home from work too tired to cook, simply toss the contents of a bag into a saucepan, add more water or a can of broth (or a can of tomatoes, or what have you) until it’s the consistency you like, and heat it through. Fresh homemade soup without the hassle!
Finally, please note that I am not publishing a photo of this soup. That’s because it really is not photogenic. At all. However, its mouthwatering aroma and bewitching flavor more than compensate for that. Have I ever lied to you? About soup?
Bryn’s Curried Yellow Split Pea Soup
1 bag of yellow split peas, rinsed and sorted 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil 1 onion, diced 2 carrots, diced 2 celery ribs, sliced 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes 1 Tablespoon Better Than Bouillon chicken or vegetable soup base 3 Tablespoons good quality curry powder Salt & pepper to taste 1 small potato, peeled and diced (optional) 14 cups of waterHeat the oil in a very big pot and saute the onion, carrots and celery until they are translucent. Add the fresh ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes; saute for just a minute or two more.
Add the bouillon paste and curry powder, and stir well to coat the veggies. The fragrance at this point is amazing!
Add the split peas to the pot along with the diced potato (if using) and all of the water, give it a good stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for around 45 minutes, uncovered. The peas lose most of their definition so you won’t need to puree it or anything. Add more water if the soup becomes too thick.
Season with salt and pepper, and serve.
