Indian-Spiced Split Pea Soup

Name: Indian-Spiced Split Pea Soup
Yield: serves 6
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons sunflower or other neutral-tasting oil; 1 medium onion peeled and minced (1 cup); 3 medium garlic cloves, peeled and minced; 1 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced (about 2 tablespoons); 6 medium scallions, white and pale-green parts only, trimmed and thinly sliced; 1 small dried red chile; 2 teaspoons coarse salt, plus more to taste; 1/4 teaspoon turmeric; 1 pound yellow split peas, picked over and rinsed; 8 to 10 cups water; 2 tablespoons sunflower or other neutral-tasting oil; 3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds; 1 teaspoon mustard seeds; 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 to 2 limes), plus wedges for serving (optional); 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro

January 26, 2012

The most well-known pea soups are made with green split peas and flavored with pork, but this lively vegetarian version features split peas and Indian seasonings. Though the end result tastes remarkably different from the classic, the method for making any split pea soup is virtually the same; you start by building a flavor base with sautéed aromatics, then add peas and water and cook until the peas fall apart. For split pea soup with ham, you would add a ham hock to the pot along with the peas, but for this version, spices are fried at the end and stirred into the soup to finish—a technique borrowed from many classic Indian dishes.

Recipe notes

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