Are split peas the same thing as peas that come in the pod?
Essentially yes, they are the same thing but no one splits them. When the pea is dried the “skin” dries and falls off, revealing that the pea is actually in two pieces all along that are easily separated mechanically. They fall apart, and there you have it, split peas. A definition from Epicurious: A variety of yellow or green pea grown specifically for drying. These peas are dried and usually split along a natural seam, in which case they’re called split peas . Whole and split dried field peas are available packaged in supermarkets and in bulk in health-food stores. Field peas do not usually require presoaking before cooking. And from Wikipedia: Pea soup is soup made, typically, from dried peas. It is, with variations, a part of the cuisine of many cultures. It is greyish-green or yellow in color depending on the regional variety of peas
