I have always been curious about traditions around the world esp. the food (duh!). While I am content following my own ( trust me, that takes so much energy by itself), I am open to imbibing the values and practices that seem familiar and are in the same lines as mine. I feel that the world boundaries thin when the language is food. I am sure you have come across many instances when a new country has a familiar dish you grew up eating. You see few nuances but essentially its the same thing. Hoppin’ John comes under this category for me.
Hoppin’ John is an old Southern dish, popular in South Carolina. The preparations vary quite a bit. Few recipes suggest cooking the peas and rice separately and then mixing it (or serving it) together. But I prefer doing it this way for no special reason. The tradition dictates that this be eaten as a part of New Year’s Day meal since Black eyed peas is believed to bring good luck. Even better if you could pair it with side dish made using collard greens (or Turnip or Mustard). A warm slice of cornbread would complete this “lucky” picture. Why these ingredients? ” Peas for pennies, greens for dollars, and cornbread for gold.”
I remember eating Lobhia (Hindi term for Black eyed peas) cooked with Indian spices and mixed with steamed rice for lunch many a days. Hence this Hoppin John finds itself welcome on my palate. I was cooking for people with hearty appetite hence this quantity but do adjust according to your needs. The spices and the amounts are relative to the consumer hence adjust it accordingly. Its not specific though the end result is extremely hearty. I cannot vouch for the luck factor, but I can guarantee you feeling fulfilled, content and happy after this meal. To me that defines “Luck” any day 
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Read the rest of Hoppin’ John (American Black Eyed Peas and Rice) at Chef In You
© DK for Chef In You, 2014. |
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