I loved my mother’s split-pea soup as I was growing up, but when I tried to cook it, I couldn’t get it right. Then I parted with tradition by leaving out the ham that’s in every recipe and using a vegetable stock. This meatless, fatless soup turned out to be just what I remembered. (No surprise that my frugal mom made hers without meat.) The cilantro gives it a great fresh flavor, but if you don’t like cilantro, use parsley. This soup is better the second day.