Healthy and tasty pea soup or pea chowder can be found in the list of national dishes of many nations of the world. A hearty and uncomplicated soup like this, even if boiled in meat broth, is quick and easy to prepare. The degree of its density depends on the variety and quantity of peas.
The benefits of pea soup
Groh is a natural source of carbohydrates and plant protein, which is highly digestible, so it is a must-have ingredient in the diet of vegetarians, allowing them to avoid protein starvation. It contains many amino acids, including essential ones, which are almost not synthesized in the human body, as well as mineral salts of potassium, iron, phosphorus and manganese. Thanks to the selenium in its composition, peas are anticoncinogenic, their use reduces the risk of oncological and cardiovascular diseases.
How many peas do you need to make pea soup
To prepare this dish, you should choose Dutch brain varieties, such peas boil faster and give the soup a particularly rich aroma. You can vary the amount of peas to make the dish balanced in terms of nutrient composition. So, for the preparation of a vegetarian soup according to an Indian recipe, 2/3 cup of peas are placed in 900 ml of water. For soups that are cooked in Europe in a protein-rich broth made from meat or with smoked meats, it will be enough to put peas at the rate of 0.5 cups per liter of water.
Secrets of Cooking Pea Soup
The consistency of a properly cooked pea soup is puree-like, this is achieved due to the fact that peas are pre-soaked in cold water before cooking, after which its volume almost doubles. Usually 6-8 hours is sufficient. But, if you want to shorten this process and make the soup more aromatic, before soaking, fry the peas in a dry, well-heated pan. After this treatment, the soaking time is reduced to 2-3 hours.
For meat broth, on which pea soup is then cooked, it is better to use not beef, but pork on the bone. But this broth is especially tasty if you boil it on smoked pork ribs or add finely chopped smoked meat during cooking. Frying cooked in olive oil will also improve the aroma of such a soup. To do this, fry finely chopped onions in a pan until golden brown, and then save it with carrots grated on a fine grater. The fry should be added to the soup 10-15 minutes before the end of cooking. Soup is served with finely chopped white bread croutons. You can put chopped fresh herbs in it before serving. Some people like to add some finely chopped fresh onions to the soup.
