Mildly Curried Split Pea Soup

This recipe comes from a favorite Canadian site LCBO. The soup has a mild taste of the flavor of India. I have yet to experience a failure with any recipe from this site that I have tried. If split pea soup is a favorite of yours, I encourage you to give this recipe a try.

Mildly Curried Split Pea Soup

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups chopped onions

2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger

2 teaspoons chopped garlic

1 tablespoon mild Indian curry paste

1/2 teaspoon cracked fennel seeds

1 cup yellow split peas, rinsed

6 cups chicken stock or water

1 teaspoon tumeric

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Garnish

1/2 cup diced carrot

1/2 cup diced parsnips

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

Salt and freshly ground pepper

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Directions:
Heat vegetable oil in pot over medium heat. Add onions and saute for 4 minutes or until softened. Add ginger, garlic, curry paste and fennel seeds and saute one minute or until fragrant. Add split peas and saute another minute, then add stock and tumeric and bring to a boil. Simmer gently over low heat for 1 hour or until split peas are soft. Transfer soup to a blender (or use a stick blender) and process until smooth. Reheat when needed.

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Preheat oven to 400F.

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Toss carrots and parsnips with vegetable oil and garam masala and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender and slightly caramelized. Set aside.

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Divide soup between 4 bowls and garnish with caramelized vegetables.