Rediscovering dried peas

Cinzia Cuneo October 20, 2012 Legumes

Once very common in the basic Quebecois diet, dried peas had become so neglected that the younger generations are not familiar with them at all. And yet this is a delicious and nutritious food that could be rediscovered in our traditional pea soup. It could also be mixed with curry, cumin and coconut, as it is done in Indian cuisine, where it is known as “dhal”.

Dried peas are sold whole or split in half for easy cooking, but these are simply peas that have been allowed to grow, mature and dry before being shelled. Some varieties, yellow and green, have been selected especially for this purpose.

Unlike other legumes, dried peas require no soaking. Since they turn soft during cooking like red lentils, you can obtain a puree, sauce or soup, depending on the amount of liquid added.

Try our recipe for Split Pea Soup

Originally published in the Journal de Montréal on October 20, 2012.

Author

Cinzia Cuneo

Cinzia Cuneo, founder of SOSCuisine.com, never wanted to neglect the quality of her food. She shares her special expertise to make good food quickly and without complications!