Pea porridge can be a tender and quick dish if you avoid overnight soaking and complex rituals. By following simple rules, you will prepare creamy puree in just half an hour.
Preparation and main secrets of cooking
Take good quality split peas and place them in a heavy bottom pan.
What to do before cooking:
- Rinse the peas 2-3 times with cold water until the liquid becomes clear.
- Fill with cold water and place on high heat without a lid.
- After boiling, skim off the foam and reduce heat to low.
- Don't add salt at the beginning! Salt makes the grains tough.
Cook for 30 minutes at low simmer. If the water has boiled away ahead of time, add 50-100 ml of boiling water, advises Yulia Bozina (18+), author of the Sweet Peach blog.
Final touches for the perfect texture
Turn off the heat and leave the porridge covered for 10 minutes. Only then add salt and spices to taste. A mandatory ingredient is smoked paprika. It gives a light smoky flavor and turns an ordinary dish into a culinary masterpiece. Also add dry garlic.
Now puree the porridge using an immersion blender. To ensure that the mass becomes tender and does not harden like a brick when cooling, pour in hot cream or milk (about 150 ml). Punch the mixture again.
How to store and reheat
In the refrigerator in a closed container, the dish will easily stand for 2-3 days. But do not heat it in the microwave – it is better to transfer the portion into a ladle, add a spoonful of water, milk or cream and heat over low heat, stirring constantly. This will return the freshly prepared taste and creamy consistency to the porridge.
Personal experience
For a long time I couldn’t make friends with peas until I stopped soaking them and tried cooking them for just 30 minutes without salt. The result surprised me: the peas turned into the most delicate creamy puree with a smoky aroma of paprika, and not the table porridge that I remember from childhood. This is the only way I cook now!
