Vegan Hoppin' John/Meatless Hoppin' John

After three delicious dishes with Dry green peas, this week's posts are going to be with Black-eyed peas aka White Cow peas. This beans are definitely nutritious and excellent for vegetarian or vegan lovers. For the first day of this week's blogging marathon, i want to dish and post something different from our usual dishes. While looking for a different black-eyed peas based dishes, i got hooked to this Vegan Hoppin' John. Hoppin' John is a peas and rice dish served during New year's day in Southern United states. Wiki says that eating Hoppin' John on this day is thought to bring a prosperous year filled with luck. Peas are symbolic of pennies or coins and a coin is sometimes added to pot or left under the dinner bowls. Served along with Kale, Collard greens, Cabbage, Turnip greens this dish are supposed to add wealth since they are the colour of American currency. Even cornbread is also served along with Hoppin' John to represent the colour of gold.

Hoppin' John is usually prepared with sliced bacon while some people substitute ham hock, fatback or country sausage or else with smoked turkey parts. However i seriously want to replicate this traditional Southern United states Hoppin' John as vegan version. With loads of vegetables and black-eyed peas, this Hoppin' John will definitely makes an excellent stew to enjoy with rice. If you are a meat lover, i suggest you to add some chicken as well. But trust me, you wont miss the meat in this dish.  Smoked paprika, turmeric,chilly powder, cayenne powder add the flavor and spiciness to this protein rich Hoppin' John. You can serve this filling dish as side dish or else for main course with some bread slices.

2cups Dry Black-eyed peas
3nos Carrots (chopped)
2nos Celery stalks (chopped)
1no Green Bellpepper (diced)
1/2cup Mushrooms (sliced)
1no Onion (chopped)
2nos Garlic cloves (crushed)
1cup Tomato puree/1can Diced Tomatoes
1tsp Smoked Paprika powder
1/4tsp Turmeric powder
1/4tsp Cayenne powder
1/4tsp Chilly powder
2cups Vegetable stock
Salt
Olive Oil

Soak the dry black-eyed peas overnite, wash it thoroughly and keep aside.

In a medium pan, heat the olive oil, add the mushrooms and saute for few minutes, add the chopped carrots, celery, onions and cook for few minutes until the vegetables turns transculent.

Add the crushed garlic and cook for a minute. now add the tomato puree or diced tomatoes, smoked paprika, turmeric, cayenne, chilly powder, vegetable stock, salt,soaked black eyes peas, stir well.

Bring the mixture to simmer and cook until the beans turns tender but not mushy.

Cook until the mixture turns thick, (i kept mine bit saucy)

Serve hot with rice or serve as dip with tortilla chips.

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