Curried Yellow Split Pea, Potato and Coconut Soup

This is lifted almost entirely from a Betty Crocker recipe. Wonderful tastes, and unfussy preparation.  Make sure you cook the peas long enough to dissolve, 45 minutes plus. (See note below about soaking peas)

Ingredients:
One cup yellow split peas
Half pound red potatoes, cubed
Three tablespoons olive oil
One medium onion, chopped
One medium carrot, grated
One medium red bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 quarter size pieces of fresh ginger, minced
Tablespoon of curry powder (choose your best)
One can of coconut milk
One half teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon fresh pepper
2 1/2 cups water, or more for proper consistency
Topping: One cup Greek yogurt mixed with three tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro.

Directions:
Cook the onion, garlic, bell pepper, carrot, ginger and salt and pepper with the olive oil until the onion is soft. Add the curry powder and cayenne and stir until things start to smell great. Add 2 1/2 cups water, the can of coconut milk, the split peas and the potatoes.
Bring to a boil, then cook at a simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. You want the split peas to disintegrate. Stir every once in a while while it cooks. I use a stick blender at the end to get a baby food consistency. (Note: If you can plan ahead, boil 2 1/2 cups water,  then use a heat proof bowl to soak the peas in the boiling water, and let sit for a few hours. The soup will only take 30 minutes or so this way.)
Serve with dollops of the yogurt/cilantro mixture. Sprinkle some ground hot red pepper on top for color and hits of heat.