Oh oh oh oh oh Split Pea Vegetable Soup Rich with Curry Paste!

My gifted friend, the artist Nan Wollman, recently introduced me to curry paste. Now well you may ask, Sylvia, how on earth did you get to be 74-2/3 years old and not know about curry paste? I’d have to answer that I’ve led a cloistered life.
Nan made us lunch a couple of weeks ago, it was a dazzling dish. She combined coconut milk with red curry paste, added diced carrots, diced chayote, and oyster mushrooms, simmered until the vegetables were nearly tender, dropped in handfuls of shredded spinach leaves and chopped Thai basil, finally some diced roasted sweet red peppers. When all was tender, she ladled it over brown basmati rice. I fair swooned.
The next day, I rushed to my favorite Asian grocery, Safe and Save Market, and bought a pouch of red curry paste. Nan’s packet was Mae Ploy 'Masman Curry Paste.’ Mine is 'Mus Mun Curry,' but ingredients are close to the same. Mine are: “red chilli, onion, garlic, galanga, lemongrass, kaffir lime peel, spice, salt, and shrimp paste" [the spice is likely coriander]. How can it not be divine? I’ve since learned curry pastes are fundamental in Thai cuisine and there is green curry paste made with green chilies and yellow curry paste made with turmeric...Wiki ‘curry paste’ and you will see.
This morning I was in a rush to get out of the house but wanted first to make split pea soup using up scraps of vegetables in the fridge. I did so, then at the very end, inspiration clapped me on the head and I pulled out the curry paste and stirred in a generous amount.
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh!
Now the following is a seat of the pants recipe, giddily imprecise. Make your own lovely split pea vegetable soup, using what you have on hand, then at the end, stir in the magical mystical paste.
Ohohohohohohohohoh!
Only cautionary note I would add is that the vegetable pieces should indeed be finely chopped...nothing larger than a split pea...this gives the texture a splendid amalgam.
One final thought. You will notice there is no garlic in the soup except for whatever small amount is in the curry paste. I was thinking just this morning as I chose not to saute garlic with the onion, that I'm beginning to appreciate dishes with garlic absent more and more. Garlic is one of Nature's gifts to the cook, of course. But--enamored with Mediterranean flavors--we automatically toss it into savory compositions, and in a way, its warmth and strong presence can be its weakness...a distraction...can pull the palate away from the purity, the harmony of underlying essentials. (I just noticed that I made this point earlier--December 22nd--with the Vegetable-Soup-In-Balance. Get off your soap box, Sylvia!)
2 tablespoons light-flavored oil (I happened to use hazelnut oil, but canola would be fine)
1/2 large onion, finely chopped
2 large carrots, unpeeled, finely chopped
1/2 chayote (or 1 zucchini), unpeeled, finely chopped
1 pound split green peas, rinsed and picked over (watch for pebbles)
About 8 cups water and 3 seasoning cubes*, or 8 cups vegetable or chicken broth
About 1/3 cup tomato paste (Italian, from a tube)
1 large sweet red pepper, finely chopped
1/4 to 1/3 cup red curry paste, or to taste
In a large (3 quart) saucepan, heat the oil and sauté the onion and carrots for a couple of minutes, to soften them. Add the chayote and soften for a bit. Stir in the split peas and the water** or broth, bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Simmer (loosely covered or uncovered, whatever’s easy) about 1/2 hour. Stir every so often so nothing sticks. Blend in the tomato paste. Continue simmering (and stirring occasionally) until the peas are almost tender, then blend in the sweet red pepper and the curry paste. Finish simmering until the peas are tender. If you want a less sturdy consistency, add water or stock.
Makes 6 to 8 servings, depending who’s eating.
*2 ”Garlic and Herb” and 1 “Mushroom,” from the Italian grocery
**I soften the seasoning cubes in some of the water in the microwave, then stir to blend before mixing into the pot