You all have enjoyed the split pea soup but have you ever thought where these tiny legumes come from and what are they all about. A very few people know that Split peas have been an important part of prehistoric cuisine such as ancient Egypt and Rome
Split peas are
part of the legume family, Pisum
sativum. Legumes are plants with seed pods that split into half. The splitting
process
also removes the dull outer layer of the peas. Split peas are commonly
found in the dried form. They are peeled and popularly used n stews and soups. They
can be stored up to 35 years. There are two types of Split peas: Yellow and
Green.
Yellow and Green Split Peas
Yellow split peas have an interesting ancient history. Archaeologists have found that split peas were commonly used in South East Asia before 6000 B.C. Gradually the dried split peas were introduced to China, Rome and Greece. It is believed that the fashion of splitting peas started in Egypt. The yellow split peas have a pale yellowish colour and are approximately 0.25 inch wide. They have an earthy mild flavour and are soft in texture.
The green split peas come from the same legume
family. They differ from Yellow peas in colour and taste. The green peas are
considered to be less sweet than the yellow peas in flavour. Green peas along with an earthly mild flavor have also a soft texture and are approximately 0.25 inch wide.
Photo source: Istockphoto: Janeff and Pumba1