Everything about The Black-eyed Pea totally explained
The
black-eyed pea, also called
black-eyed bean,
blackeye, 眉豆 (Cant. mei4 dao6),
lobiya (
ar: لوبيا),
rongi,
feijão-frade,
Alasandee (
Kannada name) or
chawli/
chawle, is a subspecies of the
cowpea, grown for its medium-sized edible
bean, which mutates easily giving rise to a number of varieties, the common commercial one called the California Blackeye being pale-colored with a prominent black spot. The currently accepted botanical name is
Vigna unguiculata subsp.
unguiculata, although previously it was classified in the
genus Phaseolus.
Vigna unguiculata subsp.
dekindtiana is the wild relative and
Vigna unguiculata subsp.
sesquipedalis is the related asparagus bean. Other beans of somewhat similar appearance, such as the "Frijol ojo de cabra" ("Goat's eye bean") of Northern
Mexico are sometimes incorrectly called "black eyed peas" and vice versa.
History
Originally native to Africa, but widely grown in many countries in
Asia, the black-eyed pea was introduced into the
West Indies and from there to the
Southern United States, where it's still a widely used ingredient in
soul food and
Southern U.S. cuisine. The planting of crops of black-eyed peas was promoted by
George Washington Carver both because, as a
legume, it adds
nitrogen to the
soil and for its
nutritional value. Black-eyed peas are an excellent source of
calcium (211mg in a 1
cup serving),
folate (209mcg), and
vitamin A (1,305 IU) among other nutrients.
Culture
The heat-loving crop is seeded after the danger of frost is past and the soil is warm.
Sandy loam is preferred, but at least the soil should be well-drained, as the plants can't stand excessive water. They are also known as a
drought-tolerant crop.
The crop is relatively free of
pests and disease.
Root-knot nematodes can be a problem, especially if crops are not rotated. As a
nitrogen fixing legume, fertilization can exclude nitrogen.
The blossoms are heavy
nectar producers and significant areas can be a source of
honey. Because the bloom attracts a variety of
pollinators, care must be taken in the application of
insecticides to avoid
label violations.
It is also known as
Barbati in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra in India.
Traditional use
Black-eyed peas are traditionally eaten on New Year's Day in the American South and in some other parts of the U.S. In some areas, they're served as a starchy side dish, cooked with or without
fatback and/or diced onion, and often served with a hot
chili sauce or a pepper-flavored
vinegar. In other areas, they're served in a traditional dish called "
Hoppin' John" made of black-eyed peas cooked with
rice, sometimes
pork (such as hog jowls, ham hock, or
fatback), and seasonings.
The traditional meal also features
collard or
mustard greens or
cabbage. This is supposed to bring good luck and financial enrichment. The peas stand for good luck, the greens symbolize paper money.
Cornbread also often accompanies this meal.
The "good luck" traditions of eating black-eyed peas on New Year's Day are recorded in the Babylonian Talmud (compiled ~500 CE), Horayot 12A: "Abaye [d.339 CE] said, now that you've established that good-luck symbols avail, you should make it a habit to see Qara (bottle gourd), Rubiya (black-eyed peas, Arabic Lubiya), Kartei (leeks), Silka (either beets or spinach), and Tamrei (dates) on your table on the New Year." A parallel text in Kritot 5B states that one should eat these symbols of good luck. The accepted custom (Shulhan Aruh Orah Hayim 583:1, 16th century, the standard code of Jewish law and practice) is to eat the symbols. This custom is followed by Sefaradi and Israeli Jews to this day. The first Sefaradi Jews arrived in Georgia in the 1730s and have lived there continuously since. The Jewish practice was apparently adopted by non-Jews around the time of the Civil War.
These "good luck" traditions date back to the U.S. Civil War. Union troops, especially in areas targeted by General
William Tecumseh Sherman, would typically strip the countryside of all stored food, crops, and livestock and destroy whatever they couldn't carry away. At that time, Northerners considered "field peas" and corn suitable only for animal fodder, and as a result didn't steal or destroy these humble foods. Many Southerners survived as a result of this mistake.
Rice and peas is a popular dish in
Jamaica and other Caribbean Islands.
Texas Caviar is a traditional New Year's Day dish made from black eyed peas marinated in Italian salad dressing and chopped garlic and served cold.
In
Portugal black-eyed pea is used to serve boiled
cod and
potatoes and also with
tuna and in salads
In
Vietnam, black-eyed peas are used in a sweet dessert called
chè đậu trắng (black-eyed peas and
sticky rice with
coconut milk).
In Cyprus, they're eaten with sliced vegetables, oil, salt and lemon.
Cultural references
In the song "Cornbread" by the Freestyle Fellowship, rapper Aceyalone throws the phrase "black eyed peas with a lot of Tabasco" into a list of things he likes.
In the song "Goodbye Earl" by The Dixie Chicks, black-eyed peas are mentioned as a food which is poisoned and fed (unbeknownst to him) to an abusive husband by his wife and her best friend to retaliate for the abuse.
The vegetables are also mentioned in Bobbie Gentry's 1967 ballad "Ode to Billie Joe": Papa said to Mama as he passed around the black-eyed peas, "Well, Billy Joe never had a lick of sense; pass the biscuits please."
A character on the TV show The Poddington Peas is named Black-Eyed Pea.
The Black Eyed Peas are a three-time Grammy Award-winning American hip-hop group from Los Angeles.
In the song Soulville (sung by many soul and motown artists, including Aretha Franklin) the outro lyrics include the line "I'm talking 'bout the black-eyed peas, down in soulville."
Gallery
Image:Black-eyed-pea.jpg|Black-eyed peas
Image:Black-eyed-pea-close.jpg|Close-up of the black eye
Further Information
Get more info on 'Black-eyed Pea'.
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