Vegetarian Indian Spice Split Pea Soup

Somehow, some way, I found myself recently with two pounds of dried peas in my cupboard. I don't really know how I accumulated those, but given that I have made a decision to make sure I am not wasteful of food I thought I'd find a way to use them up. I love split pea soup but do feel like vegetarian versions can sometimes be bland so I thought I'd mess around with some ways to make them taste good enough that they would not seem to be lacking. I think I was pretty successful, and on top of that I'm very happy I was able to use my new immersion blender. :D

Ingredients:

2lbs dried green peas (or any amount you like really, but it does cook down a bit)
Vindaloo Curry spice (to taste)
salt and pepper to taste
Goat cheese (or other tangy cheese) crumbles to sprinkle over the top
While not required, I would recommend either crackers or toasts to go with the finished product

Steps:

-Add peas and water (twice as much water as peas) to a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45-60 minutes, or until very tender. Use either an immersion blender or regular blender to smooth out the peas, adding in the Vindaloo Curry Spice, salt, and pepper as you blend. Once smooth you can then serve the soup topped with goat cheese and preferably with crackers or toasts on the side. It's quite simple, just a bit time consuming.