Soup

[Smitch]

I just remembered about Nigella’s split pea soup with frankfurters. Really easy using an IP https://www.nigella.com/recipes/yellow ... urter-soup

[miss mouse]

That's interesting, no mention of soaking them or in the other split pea soup recipe she has.

[miss mouse]

Split pea soup update. It will or may be eaten tomorrow. The remnants of the dried beans are heading for the compost bin (BBE Aug 2025)

In the interim I bought 'chana dhal' from Sainsbo Asian aIsle, they look like split pease to me, described on the packet as 'split chick peas' although they don't look like any chick peas I have encountered.

Instructions there say 'Soak for four hours and boil for 15 mins' to cook. The confusion continues.

[Stokey Sue]

Chana is definitely chick pea, I think the taste will be a giveaway.

This is the sort of thing I’d expect to do with chana dal - note Romy Gill thinks it takes 45 minutes to cook
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/chana_dal_92101

[Suffs]

Interesting … Romy Gill adds salt to the cooking water … I’d understood it was a given that salt toughens pulses and lengthened the cooking time … I never add salt to pulses until they’re cooked.

[Earthmaiden]

I had always been led to believe that too.

[KeenCook]

yup, me too

[miss mouse]

Chana is definitely chick pea, I think the taste will be a giveaway. ≈

I am not doubting anyone, just puzzled, they look nothing like the marbles I have bought labelled 'chick peas' even if I hammered them in half still nothing like. And if they are chick peas why are we...etc to make humous. It's baffling. I'll post when I do use them. Meanwhile the ham and (split peas which eventually cooked) soup was nice in the end.

Thanks for your comments everyone, it's useful and informative.

[miss mouse]

Interesting … Romy Gill adds salt to the cooking water … I’d understood it was a given that salt toughens pulses and lengthened the cooking time … I never add salt to pulses until they’re cooked.

So we have been told, is it true?

[Stokey Sue]

Interesting … Romy Gill adds salt to the cooking water … I’d understood it was a given that salt toughens pulses and lengthened the cooking time … I never add salt to pulses until they’re cooked.

So we have been told, is it true?

Thought I'd replied earlier, we had a long discussion on the old BBC board, and it turns out some counties believe in salting (Portugal, parts of India) but Brits and Americans don't. I've tried it, and it seems fine, I can't see that a small amount in the water would stop the pulses taking up water which is what is often claimed,

Chana is definitely chick pea, I think the taste will be a giveaway. ≈

I am not doubting anyone, just puzzled, they look nothing like the marbles I have bought labelled 'chick peas' even if I hammered them in half still nothing like. And if they are chick peas why are we...etc to make humous. It's baffling. I'll post when I do use them. Meanwhile the ham and (split peas which eventually cooked) soup was nice in the end.

Thanks for your comments everyone, it's useful and informative.

I thought the split ones might be a different variety of chick pea, and Google confirms they are split kala chana (black or brown chick peas) which tend to be a bit smaller than the blonde ones, with a very fibrous skin, I tried the whole kala chana and didn't like the skin, even canned they are tough.

[KeenCook]

had a delicious "minestrone" today, made from a lot of kale and ps broccoli stems, a couple of leeks, some carrots, some celery, various assorted sad herbs from the fridge, veg stock, a can of tomatoes and one of borlotti beans. I had a parmesan rind as well.
One of those soups that will never be recreated

[miss mouse]

I thought the split ones might be a different variety of chick pea, and Google confirms they are split kala chana (black or brown chick peas) which tend to be a bit smaller than the blonde ones, with a very fibrous skin, I tried the whole kala chana and didn't like the skin, even canned they are tough.

Thanks. So same botanical group.

Even these took what seemed like forever in the s/c but the end result was good. Mmm, curious.