Black-eyed peas are a symbol of good luck and are considered a traditional must-have on the first day of the new year, especially in the southern United States. Here's a traditional recipe for cooking cowpeas.
Ingredients
Made for 8 servings.
- 450 grams of dry cowpeas
- 2 cups chopped cooked ham
- 2 onions
- 4 plum tomatoes (plum tomatoes), which are a type of cherry tomato, but slightly oval
- 1 clove of garlic
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil
- 4 cups (1 liter) water
- 2 bay leaves (a type of bay leaf)
Step
Part 1 of 4: Soaking Cowpeas
Step 1. Rinse the cowpeas
Place the beans in a colander and rinse under cold running water.
Rinse and remove dirt and remaining epidermis
Step 2. Put the beans in a pot of cold water
Make sure the water completely covers the cowpeas, but don't overfill the water as it will overflow when heated or boiled. Pot lid.
Step 3. Boil the water
Heat the cowpeas and water over medium-high heat until the water reaches a stable boiling point. Continue boiling for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Most types of beans are soaked in cold water for several hours, but cowpeas can be soaked in hot water to reduce the time required.
- Soaking the cowpeas isn't necessary, so this step can be skipped if you have little time. The soaking process will soften the beans, but soaking also helps reduce the risk of indigestion.
Step 4. Let the beans soften
Leave the cowpeas in warm water for 60 to 90 minutes.
Step 5. Drain and rinse
Pour the contents of the pot into a colander to remove the soaking water. Rinse the beans again with cold water.
Part 2 of 4: Preparing the Other Ingredients
Step 1. Choose the best type of ham
For a more traditional taste, use salty country ham, which is cured ham that tastes very salty.
- Cowpeas can technically be prepared without using any other ingredients than salt and water. However, the taste of the cowpeas themselves can be a bit bland, and the taste is more traditional when cooked with pork and certain vegetables.
- Smoked pork is a great option when cooking cowpeas alternatively in a slow cooker. The ham bones also become soft.
- Use a sweet ham, such as honey roasted ham, if you want a sweeter taste.
- Bacon or pancetta are also popular choices to use when preparing dishes with cowpeas.
Step 2. Cut the vegetables
Vegetables should be chopped into small pieces with a sharp kitchen knife.
- Coarsely chop the onion until it is about inch or 1.25 cm. Use a variety of onions that are stronger in taste and smell, such as yellow or white onions, for a stronger taste. Use a sweet type of onion, such as Vidalia, for a lighter, sweeter taste. You can use cup (120 ml) of sliced dry onions instead of whole onions to save time.
- Cut the tomatoes into cubes with a size of 1.25 cm, so that the water does not disappear. To save time, you can also use 375 ml canned tomatoes that have been diced. For a stronger taste, choose canned tomatoes that have been added with chopped green chilies.
- Place the garlic on a cutting board with the broad, blunt edge of the blade on top. Carefully but firmly press the knife to crush the onion and remove the skin. The onion can be used like this, or you can also chop it into fine pieces with a knife. Alternatively, you can use teaspoon of onion powder instead.
Step 3. Heat the ham in the oil
Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium to high heat. Add the ham and cook for 4 minutes or until the edges start to dry out or are crispy, stirring frequently (back and forth).
This step is optional. You can prepare the cowpeas without crunching the ham first
Part 3 of 4: Cooking Cowpeas
Step 1. Add the beans to the ham
Add the previously soaked cowpeas to the same pot you used to cook the ham. Toss the cowpeas with the ham to coat the savory oil.
Step 2. Add the onions, tomatoes, garlic and bay leaf
Stir the ingredients together until fully combined.
Step 3. Add 1 liter of water to the pot
Use cold water.
- The water should be sufficient to cover the cowpeas and vegetables, and the water level should be no more than three-quarters of the height of the pot. 1 liter of water is just an estimate.
- If the beans were not pre-soaked, you will need to use twice as much water.
Step 4. Cover the pot and boil
Cover the pot and turn on the stove over medium to high heat, until the water starts to boil. Cook for 10 minutes.
Open the lid of the pot slightly so that the steam can escape slowly. Opening the lid releases the pressure inside the pot, reducing the messy overflow of boiling water
Step 5. Reduce the heat and let it cook by adding water occasionally as needed
Reduce the heat to medium heat so that the simmering speed is slow but steady. Cook again for 1 to 2 hours.
- Maybe you don't need to add water. However, if the water level is below the cowpeas, add 1 cup or 250 ml of warm water.
- When the beans are cooked, they should have a soft texture, creamy taste, and the juice should be savory and not runny. However, if the cowpea loses its shape, you are cooking it too long.
- Taste the nuts after the first hour. If it's not cooked, continue checking every half hour.
Step 6. Add salt and pepper, if desired
Once the cowpeas are done cooking, remove the pan from the heat and add salt or pepper, if you prefer. Stir in the cowpeas, salt, and pepper evenly.
- About 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper will suffice, but you can increase or decrease the amount of pepper depending on how spicy you want it to be.
- If you're using salted ham, there's no need to add salt. However, for less salty ham, you may need to add about teaspoon of salt.
Step 7. Remove bay leaf and serve
Set aside the bay leaf before you pour the nuts onto each serving plate using a vegetable spoon.
Part 4 of 4: Alternative Cooking Ways
Step 1. Prepare the ingredients as usual
Soak the cowpeas and chop the vegetables.
Step 2. Put the ingredients in a slow cooker pan
Place the cowpeas, tomatoes, onions, garlic, ham, and bay leaves in the slow cooker pot. Add salt and pepper, if desired. Cover the pot and cook on high heat for 90 minutes. or cook on low heat for 3 hours.
Step 3. Remove bay leaf and serve
Turn off the stove and discard the bay leaf. Serve the cowpeas while they are still hot.
