Split Pea and Sweet Potato Soup

In the dark and dreary doldrums of February, there are few things more satisfying than a simmering cauldron of soup, and this is a really good one. Perfect for those nights when your tummy wants the culinary equivalent of a hug, it's like a happy marriage between an Indian dal and an old-fashioned split pea soup. The combination of legumes, greens, and sweet potatoes make it balanced meal all on its own, but that's really just a fortunate footnote to its deliciousness. So what are you waiting for? Drag out the soup pot and start soaking some peas!

Split Pea and Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients
~ 1.5 cups yellow split peas (chana dal)
~ 2 tbsp. canola oil
~ 1 tsp. each: mustard seeds, cumin seeds
~ 1 tbsp. grated ginger
~ 1 large onion, diced
~ 1 large stalk celery, diced
~ 1 tbsp. good curry powder
~ 1 tsp. each: chili powder, fenugreek powder
~ 1 tsp. salt (optional, depending on how salty your stock is)
~ A few grinds of black pepper
~ 2 bay leaves
~ 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
~ 6-7 cups vegetable broth (another plug for Better Than Bouillon's "no chicken" flavor)
~ 1 15 oz. can light coconut milk
~ 1 lb. spinach, roughly chopped
~ A generous shot of hot sauce (optional; I use Sriracha)

Directions
~ In a colander, rinse and pick over the split peas, then place them in a bowl of cold water to soak for at least an hour (the longer you soak them, the faster they'll cook).
~ In a large pot, heat the canola oil over medium heat and add the cumin and mustard seeds. Stir briefly and cook until they just begin to pop.
~ Add the ginger, the onion, and the celery, and continue cooking about 5 minutes.
~ Drain and rinse the split peas and add them to the pot along with the sweet potatoes, the dry spices, and the bay leaves.
~ Stir to coat, raise the heat to high, and add the vegetable broth. Cover and bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally.
~ When the split peas are tender, add the coconut milk, the baby spinach, and the hot sauce; cook about 5 minutes more, until the spinach is just wilted.
~ Fish out the bay leaves, taste for seasoning, and serve hot. NB that this makes great leftovers, but like all legume-based soups, it may thicken a bit as it stands; just thin it with a little extra broth or water when reheating.