They saying eating black eyed peas on New Year's Day will ensure your year is a prosperous one. So try eating this very flavorful and spicy Curried Hoppin' John that is full of black eyed peas to make your year extra lucky.
So what good luck foods do I always have on my New Year's table? I have black eyed peas for prosperity, lentils for gold, collards greens for money.. hmmmm... do you see a theme here? I also make sure we eat pork and fish since both represent abundance and moving forward.
My kids wait every year to see how I will incorporate our favorite "good luck" foods for the New Year. I must admit that I try to come up with a new way of serving it every year and now it's starting to get a little hard to come up with a new recipe because I have tried so many different variations. I decided to really bump up the veggies in this curried hoppin' john by adding celery and bell pepper to the dish and make it vegan. It came out so well that the kids ate the dish twice on New Year's day and again the next day. We all enjoyed it that much!
My silly superstitions may make you laugh, but this curried hoppin' john is seriously delicious. So, even if you don't believe in "lucky foods"... make this curry and rub your belly with happiness.
Curried Hoppin' John - Vegan Black Eyed Pea Curry
Recipe by Ramona from Kitchen Simmer
Ingredients: 2 cans of black-eyed peas (rinsed well)
1 medium onion chopped
2 stalks celery sliced
1 green bell pepper chopped
1 Tbs garlic grated
1 heaping Tbs grated fresh ginger
2 serrano/jalapeno chilies sliced
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp mustard seed
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 piece of cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp of red chili flakes (or to taste)
1/2 tsp of turmeric
10-15 curry leave
Salt (to taste)
1 can (15oz) coconut milk
1/2 cup of water
Directions:
Heat
pan with 2 Tbs canola oil on medium heat. Add onions, celery, curry
leaves, cinnamon stick, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds with
a little salt and cook for 5 minutes. Then add the ginger and garlic
and cook for another 2-3 minutes. 
Next
add the chopped green peppers, jalapeno peppers (seeded if you desire
for less spice), tomatoes, red chili flakes, turmeric, dried thyme and
saute for 3-5 minutes. Season with some salt for flavor. 
Then
add the rinsed and drained black eyed peas and saute for a minute.
Finally a can of coconut milk and 1/2 cup of water (I used the water to
rinse out the can of coconut milk). Stir well and taste for salt and
seasoning. Adjust salt and spice as desired. Cook for 12-15 minutes.
Serve hot with rice or Indian flat breads. Enjoy.
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