I make - Golden Soup

Soup season is back. These days I find a warm bowl of soup makes me feel so much better at lunch than a sandwich of some sort.

This Golden Soup is actually a formula of ingredients which combine well, turmeric, coconut and fresh coriander. These are the base ingredients of my Golden Soup. I then add the main flavor ingredient and spice. Cauliflower is a classic, for which I will add some potato and a chopped onion. Another variation is yellow split peas, for which I add a teaspoon of panch phoron (Indian 5-seed mix) and a chopped onion or leek. Yellow split peas are quite starchy (and full of protein too) and the soup is nicely thickened in the end. I think red lentils or sweet potatoes/pumpkin will fare well with my Golden Soup Base but that's for next time.

Golden Soup with Yellow Split Peas

3/4 cup of dried yellow split peas, soaked with 1/2 tsp baking soda and water for 8 hours or overnight
1/2 tsp salt
1 leek, roughly chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 tsp panch phoron 

1 tsp turmeric powder

2 tbsps coconut cream powder
10-20 stalks and leaves of fresh coriander
500 ml stock (if using coconut cream powder) or coconut milk if not using coconut cream powder
Salt and pepper to season

On the day of cooking the soup, drain the soaking yellow split peas and wash a number of times until the water runs clear. Drain the yellow split peas one last time and put in a sauce pan. Top with 1/2 tsp of salt and fresh water until the water level comes about 2-cm above the peas. Bring the pot to boil, remove the scums which comes to the surface, lower the heat and cover. Cook for 20-25 minutes until the peas are softened. Let the yellow split peas cool for 30 minutes and scoop the solids out for later use.

In the soup pot, cook leek and garlic with 1 tbsp of oil for 5 minutes. Add in panch phoron, turmeric powder, coconut cream powder, fresh coriander and stock (or coconut milk). Stir in the cooked yellow split peas. Check the water level. It should come up about 2-cm above the solids. Adjust the liquid with more stock or cooking liquor from the yellow split peas. Bring the pot to boil, lower the heat and cover. Let it cook for 20 minutes. Heat off. Taste and season with salt and pepper. You may fish out the coriander before serving.