This is a great, quick self-care recipe for low energy days because:
- with a pressure cooker, it takes just long enough to wash up what’s in the sink (about 15 minutes)
- Split peas are cheap and last a long time in a cupboard, as do potatoes
- It uses 5 ingredients (excluding oil for frying first). but could be made with just 2 ingredients.
- It tastes great, is very filling, but easy to digest
We got our split peas from a store nearby called Pepito y Grano, which stocks every lentil an grain imaginable – including teff! It also stocks many gluten-free types of pasta, including ones made from lentils and chickpeas. If you love cooking outside traditional Spanish food in Madrid, it’s a must-visit.
Ingredients:
- Half a cup of split peas. I rinsed these and left them to soak for an hour. Longer in colder weather will help their digestibility.
- Half a white onion, chopped.
- 1 small potato, peeled and cubed.
- A pack of diced ham. We used a pack of diced serrano, which is sold in Carrefour all over Madrid.
- Ham stock, liquid. I could have skipped ingredients 2, 3 and 4, and just used this for a more “budget” or “no grocery shop” version, since it already includes them. We loved the way it tasted and the texture of this version, though.
Bonus Points:
I added about a teaspoon of dried mint to give this a little kick. It doesn’t taste like toothpaste, it just balances the ham taste out and makes a hot soup feel more “right” in the summertime.
Steps:
- Fry the onions in a little oil, until soft and add the potato
- Drain the split peas and add to the pan, stirring to avoid having them stick
- Add the diced ham/Serrano and then add half the stock (about 300 ml)
- Bring to pressure and eave for 15 minutes. Then let it release pressure naturally.
- Use a slotted spoon to mash the peas a little bit. You could use a handheld blender, but the mix of smooth and chunky is a feature.
- Enjoy!
I didn’t take any pics because this was one of those recipes that came about from needing something easy and quick to cook and we were too hungry to fuss with photos.