Content

• Ingredients
• Steps
• Method 1 of 4: Part One: Soak the Peas
• Method 2 of 4: Part Two: Preparing Other Ingredients
• Method 3 of 4: Part Three: Cooking the Peas
• Method 4 of 4: Part Four: An Alternative Cooking Method
• Tips
• What do you need

In the United States, cowpeas (or black-eyed peas as they are called in other countries) are believed to bring good luck and are a traditional New Year's Eve dish, especially in the southern United States. This article describes the traditional method for preparing cow peas.

Ingredients

Serves 8.

• 450 g dried cow peas
• 450 ml. chopped ham
• 2 onions
• 4 tomatoes
• 1 clove of garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil
• 1 liter of water
• 2 bay leaves

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Part One: Soak the Peas

1. 1 Rinse the peas. Place the peas in a colander and rinse under cold, running water.
   • Rinsing will remove dirt and other debris from the peas.
2. 2 Place the peas in a pot of cold water. Make sure the water is completely covering the peas, but not to the brim so that the water does not escape during the boil. Cover the pot with a lid.
3. 3 Bring water to a boil. Heat water and peas over medium-high heat until boiling. Leave the contents to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
   • Most legumes need to be soaked in cold water for several hours before cooking, but cow peas, which can be soaked in hot water, to shorten cooking times.
   • Soaking the cowpeas is optional, so you can skip this step if you're short on time. Soaking will soften the peas and also reduce the risk of indigestion after eating.
4. 4 Let the peas brew. Leave the peas in warm water for 60-90 minutes.
5. 5 Drain and rinse the peas. Pass the contents of the pot through a colander to get rid of the water in which the peas have been soaked. Rinse the cowpeas again under cold water.

Method 2 of 4: Part Two: Preparing Other Ingredients

1. 1 Choose the right type of ham. For a more traditional meal, try the rustic salty ham.
   • Cowpeas can technically only be cooked in water and salt. In this case, the peas will be quite tasteless, and more traditionally they are prepared with the addition of pork and certain vegetables.
   • Smoked ham works well if you are slow cooking the peas. Ham on the bone is also good.
   • If you want a sweet flavor, try sweeter types of ham, such as honey-baked ham.
   • Popular for making cow peas are also bacon or pancetta.
2. 2 Chop vegetables. Cut the vegetables into small cubes with a sharp knife.
   • Chop the onion coarsely, about 1 centimeter cubes. For a richer flavor, use white or yellow onions, which are harsher varieties. For a sweet, less harsh taste, use sweet onions. To save time, you can use dried onions (1/4 cup).
   • Cut the tomatoes into 1-inch cubes, try to preserve the juice. To save time, you can use 375 ml canned chopped tomatoes. To add spice to your dish, opt for canned tomatoes with green chili peppers.
   • Place the garlic on a cutting board and place the flat side of the knife blade against it. Gently but lightly hit the knife to crush the garlic clove and remove the husks. Garlic can be used as it is or chopped into small pieces. You can also use 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder.
3. 3 Fry the ham in oil. In a saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the ham and sauté for 4 minutes or until the edges are browned, stirring constantly.
   • This step is optional. Peas can be cooked without roasting the pork.

Method 3 of 4: Part Three: Cooking the Peas

1. 1 Place the peas with the ham and stir. Place the presoaked cowpeas in the ham saucepan. Stir the ham and peas well to coat the peas completely with the ham-flavored butter.
2. 2 Add onions, tomatoes, garlic, bay leaves. Mix everything well.
3. 3 Add 1 liter of water. The water should be cold.
   • There should be enough water to only lightly coat the peas and vegetables, and the water level should not exceed ¾ of the pan. 1 liter is the approximate amount of water.
   • If you haven't soaked the peas, you will need twice as much water.
4. 4 Cover and cook. Place the lid on the saucepan and bring the contents to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook for 10 minutes.
   • Leave the lid of the pot slightly open so that the steam can escape easily. This will reduce the pressure in the pot and there will be less chances for the contents to escape when boiling, creating a mess.
5. 5 Reduce heat and simmer slowly, adding water as needed. Reduce heat to medium to simmer and simmer for 1 to 2 hours.
   • You may need to add water.If the water level drops below the contents, add a glass (250 ml) of warm water to the saucepan.
   • When the peas are cooked they will have a mild creamy flavor and the broth should be richer than runny. If the peas began to lose their shape, then they were digested.
   • Try the peas after an hour. If it's not ready yet, check it every half hour thereafter.
6. 6 Season with salt and pepper to taste. When the peas are cooked, remove the pan from the heat and add salt and pepper to taste. Mix everything well to dissolve the salt and pepper.
   • About 1/4 tsp. black pepper should be enough, but you can add more or less as you like.
   • If you've used salted ham for cooking, you may not need additional salt. Or add about 1/4 tsp. salt if you have been using low-salt ham.
7. 7 Remove bay leaves and serve. Collect bay leaves from the dish before serving. Divide the dish into portions using a scoop.

Method 4 of 4: Part Four: An Alternative Cooking Method

1. 1 Prepare all ingredients as usual. Soak the cowpeas and chop the vegetables.
2. 2 Place all ingredients in a slow cooker. Place the peas, tomatoes, onions, garlic, ham, and bay leaves in a slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer over high heat for 90 minutes or over low heat for 3 hours.
3. 3 Remove bay leaves and serve. Turn off the slow cooker and remove the bay leaves from the dish. Serve the peas hot.

Tips

• Many people prefer the spicier cowpeas. This can be achieved by adding 1 to 2 chopped jalapenos or 1 tsp to the pot. ground chili. Alternatively, you can cook the peas as usual and place the hot sauce on the table, allowing the family or guests to choose the spiciness to taste.

What do you need

• Large saucepan with lid
• Colander
• Sharp knife
• Heat-resistant blade
• Scoop or large spoon