An easy quick curry for a warming meal any night of the week. Black Eyed Pea Curry with Swiss Chard & Roasted Eggplant is packed with creamy veggie power to satisfy even this biggest plant-based skeptic!
As we find ourselves with only 4 days left until the new year is upon us, it’s my obligation to bring you some well wishes and luck in the coming year. And I’m bringing that to you in the form of BEANS! You may remember from years passed that the humble black eyed pea is a Southern good luck charm and tradition. One of the most common explanations of this bring so big in the South dates back to the Civil War. The Union soldiers had destroyed and stole all the southern crops and the Confederates were lucky enough to have these peas left (which were considered to be animal feed) to eat and help them make it through he brutal winter. The peas were also given to the slaves, which was the one thing they had to celebrate with after the Emancipation Proclamation. There are also stories that date back to ancient Egyptian times.
MY LATEST VIDEOSI’m a big supporter of the black eyed pea tradition. There are many other good luck foods, from grapes (12 grapes at midnight!) to long noodles, but I like the bean…or pea. When eaten on New Years Day, they are said to bring you luck and prosperity in the new year. Traditionally served with collard greens, corn bread, or stewed tomatoes. Well, I twisted that up a bit and brought in some “Rebecca” flare to the black eyed peas.
A little Southern/Indian fusion? Cuisine fusion is a trendy thing, right? I think Southern/Indian will be a thing in 2016 (feel free to quote me on that!). So I’m going to lead the movement today with this black eyed pea curry! I think you’ll like it just as much as me 😉 (Let’s just hope it doesn’t bring us bad luck by “twisting” the pea tradition too much!) Now, black eyed peas are beans, not “peas”, but bean or pea, they are legumes regardless. One of my favorite legumes to be exact! I think if I had to rank my favorite legumes it would look like this: Chickpeas, Red Lentils, Black Eyed Peas, Black Beans, Adzuki Beans (well yea, top 5).
I actually struggled this year with getting myself to feel “safe” eating beans again after the “Bean Incident of 2015“. I still haven’t sprouted any form of legume since then. I don’t think I’ll ever sprout any bean but maybe lentils again. Lentils are easier and safer! Still, even almost a year later, the though of sprouted chickpeas/cranberry beans makes me sick. I went months without eating beans (besides hummus) after that incident. Slowly I brought some of my favorite bean bowls back, veggies burgers, etc. And then this curry which I can report made me very happy and gave me a little more bean trust!
I do tend to eat a lot of “dangerous” foods though. Mango skin, Yucca, but these tend to be my favorite foods, so I’ll take my changes still. Beans shouldn’t be scary, they’re much safer than an under-cooked yucca! And for this recipe, I’m using black eyed peas. LUCK! They are a symbol of luck, not bean death! Although I’m not even Southern and I’m twisting this dish with Indian, so maybe….No, I think the culinary gods have me in their favor on this one. (I’ll just keep telling myself that). I did keep more of the Southern tradition in here than you think. Instead of collards, I used Swiss chard, and instead of stewed tomatoes, I just used tomato paste.
No cornbread though. Although, that would be a mighty fine pairing with this curry! Maybe I should have made a cornbread naan to share too. Although that may have been pushing my luck a bit too much! I did include some lovely roasted eggplant, makes everything so creamy, the new secret to a fantastic filly curry in my opinion. Creamy, comforting, plant-based curry goodness, that I’m promising you will bring you some good luck…or at least some New Year’s Day smiles!
Black Eyed Pea Curry with Swiss Chard & Roasted Eggplant
- 1 15oz Can Black Eyed Peas (salt-free, drained and rinsed)
- 1 Medium Eggplant
- 1 Tsp Minced Garlic
- 1 Bunch (5 Cups) Chopped Swiss Chard
- ½ of a Large Sweet Onion (finely chopped)
- 1 Tsp Curry Powder
- ½ Tsp Turmeric
- ½ Tsp Paprika
- ¼ Tsp Cumin
- ¼ Cup Tomato Paste (salt-free)
- 3 TB Water
- Preheat the oven to 425°F to roast your eggplant. Simple cut it lengthwise in half, lightly cut diagonals from one side of the flesh to the other (both ways), careful not to cut all he way through the skin. This will make for easy scooping of the flesh. Lightly rub each half with the minced garlic (1/2 tsp each) and then roast in the oven for about 30 minutes.
- Once roasted, scoop out the flesh and quickly process it and the chopped onion in a food processor to get a smooth texture.
- Now, in a large greased skillet, simply throw in all the ingredients and the eggplant puree, mix. Cover with a lid and cook on high for 10 minutes, stirring everything halfway through.
Are you feeling the luck? I think you will! This is one of my favorite curries and it freezes will too! I made a huge batch and then was able to quickly defrost the leftovers I had and it was fantastic! One of those dishes that just gets better with time too. It will treat you well in the new year!
So tell me:
+ What’s your favorite good luck food to eat for the new year?
+ Which cuisines would you dare blend together? 😉
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Nommmmms. You had me at roasted eggplant + curry. It’s like a hug in a bowl!
It is a hug in a bowl 😉
What a delicious way to begin the new year! My son loves curry, so I will be adding this into my menu planning!
Fantastic! Curry is the best!
Ok, my mouth is watering. Three amazing looking recipes!
Thank you!
I’m totally down with the Southern Indian fusion… 😛 <3
The big 2016 trend!
I never knew about the black bean tradition until now – must try this next new years.
Black eyed peas.
This sounds great and I love eggplant. A lovely warming winter dish.
Thank you!
Wow this looks delicious, off to soak some black eyed peas (we say beans here).
Really?!
Hi,
I love your photos with the blur in the background.
Well thank you!
This looks so yummy! !
Thanks!
Yum! What a great combination of flavours. I am pinning this for future reference…I think fusion food is fab: why just stick to one country’s repertoire, when you can have the best of two (or more) countries!?!
Haha, exactly!!! Just make a great cuisine even greater!
Wow! Thank you for sharing this. I wish I had known about this before the new year. I really like all the ingredients in the dish. I am so pinning this! Hope you don’t mind. 🙂
Well I hope you make it! That’s the point 😛
This looks TASTY!
Thanks!
Wish I’d seen this post before the new year started! Though the recipe looks tasty enough for any time of the year. Pinning straight away!
Definitely! It will never be “unlucky” 😉
I’m totally ready for some southern/Indian fusion! This looks delicious, and I love the chard in this too. Happy New Year Rebecca!!
Thank you!!! We’ve got to make it a thing 😉
Happy New Year!
This has EVERYTHING I love! A perfectly nutritious and delicious dish.
Yay! Well then I know what you should make this week 😉 xoxo
As a true Southerner who went to college with two best friends who are Indian, this is seriously calling my name!! Black-eyed peas are delicious good luck foods and I love the collards and eggplant pairing here too. So much deliciousness in one dish!
Haha, well there i much to love! 2 fabulous cuisines can blend well 😉 Thanks dear!
Black Eyed Peas are one of our favorites, I love the combination of your dish.
They are one of the best legumes!
This looks so good and filling too! Love using legumes for my protein and/or carb source. I’m glad you’re back on the bean-train! 😉
It’s a rocky bean road, but so far so good 😉 taking it slow!
Rebecca, this looks so delish! I am learning so much from you this week, I haven’t used red lentils or black eyed peas! I wish I would have read this earlier, not only does this look and sound delicious, I hate to have missed out on the luck on New Year’s. I’m going to have to go grab some! The family loves all types of world cuisine, and this is a Southern/Indian fusion like no other! LOL You need to patent that phrase! And eggplant makes things creamy? Boy, I am learning so much. My vegetarian daughter will be so happy!!!
Let’s say if you eat them within the first week of the new year, you still have a chance for good luck 😉 Haha!
I think I need to work some new Indian/Southern recipes then!
Yes! One you roast the eggplant and mash it all up…it’s glorious! Think about it like a creamy baba ganuosh!
Southern and Indian fusion? I love both Southern and Indian food, so I’m game for this recipe! It looks wonderful and I can’t wait to try it! Thanks, and Happy New Year!
Two of the most comforting cuisines, right? 😉 It works!
Thank you! Happy New Year!
This looks great!
Thanks!
This looks really good…I have cooked with all kinds of bean but not black eyed peas so excited to try this out.
Thanks and happy new year!
O goodness! Get some black eyed! They are spectacular and have such a lovely iconic taste!
Ahhh your black-eyed pea curry dish looks AWESOME! I love the Indian/Southern twist 🙂 so, does this make us black-eyed pea twins for today? Thai/Indian/Southern yumminess!
I feel like we should be the “pea police” and make sure everyone is getting in their peas today!
This looks fantastic!! What a yummy combo of ingredients!
Thanks Annmarie!
I grow eggplant and chard in my garden! This sounds great!
Perfect use for them!
This sounds amazing recipe. i love black eyed beans, and eggplant is my fev veg. I will try this recipe.
Fabulous!!! Let me know how it comes out!
Ooo I love the look of this! I have never used eggplant in my dishes before so will be something new to try!
O! It’s a veggie must!
This sound so amazing Rebecca! I’m a huge fan of eggplant and the combination with beans sounds like the perfect comfort food.
You’ll love it then! Thank you Lucie! xoxo
This looks so good. I actually have some black eye peas in my pantry I can use for this. Growing up having black eyed peas for the new year was a family tradition.
It’s a great tradition!
Wow, this looks and sounds delicious! And, I love your idea of cornbread naan. That would be too cool.
I think I need to get to work on that!
I’m all about the back eyed pea tradition! I actually dreamed the other night that it was Jan 2nd and we’d forgotten to eat black eyed peas and greens. I woke up legit upset! Haha!
Omg! The horror!!! What a nightmare! Gotta prep them now to be ready! 😉
This sounds so good! :] I haven’t had black eyed peas in forever, but I love curry! I’ll have to throw it in the next time I make it again! :]
Yea, dig some peas, girl! One of the most random but perfect beans for curry 😉
Happy New Year to you, this black eyed pea curry looks like the perfect way to celebrate! I love your unique spin on the old tradition!
Same Sara! Thank you!
What a fun and unique recipe for getting your new year luck in!
Thanks!
I never heard of such bean luck. Do you think my lentil recipe will bring me luck? I’ve never sprouted beans, but the words themselves are enough to scare me. Haha!
Well this is your time to grab some black eyed peas!!! Swap them for your lentils 😉 You’ll love it (and there won’t be any need to sprout…ever…hahahahaha!)
I’m so sorry about your bean incident!! That sounds terrible. I sprouted adzuki beans once but I was in luck. They were really good, but somehow I wasn’t motivated enough to sprout them again. Although I really like sprouting but most of times the seeds dry out because I forget to soak them. Ugh.. I’m not the worst with plants..but sprouting is sooo different. As for good luck foods, last year I made fortune cookies and I wanted to make them again this year – but I’m not sure if I can find the time to do so. Your black eyed peas curry looks delicious! It sounds like a wonderful combination. My fav fusion cuisine recipe is my falafel curry 😀 Who would have thought that falafel and a creamy tomato curry go so great together… Happy new year, lovely Rebecca!
I used to love sprouting! But when I get brave enough again, I’m sticking to my tried and true alfalfa, broccoli sprouts, or lentils!
Well if you can’t make the cookies, make this super quick curry!! (Although I want you to make the cookies and send me one 😉 )
Indian/Middle Eastern is one fab combo for sure!
xoxox love and luck in the new year dear!
I had never heard about the good luck qualities of black eyed peas – so fascinating! Love your twist on the dish, but also the original combination. And I’m glad you got back to eating beans – food poisoning is so so bad…I had it this year too and until now can’t even smell the food that was the culprit (it gave me three days of fever and sickness…).
I kind of want to blend Japanese and Latin American food together – I’m pretty sure it has been done loads already, but they are currently my two favorite cuisines, so I kind of want to try it myself 😀
I think the beans are the LUCKIEST of foods 😉
Thinking of half-assed sprouted slimy hard beans…AHHHH CAN’T!
Mmmmm well i don’t think I’ve had anything of that combo, but it sounds like ti would be a pretty fabulous marriage!
There’s nothing I love more than a good Curry! This looks so flavoursome and delicious. Love the addition of eggplant. Yummy!
I know you love curry 😉 Such good stuff, always!
This is such a unique take on a New Year’s classic!
Kari
Thanks!
This looks so healthy and I love that it’s dairy free and uses non-traditional items. Great for the new year too with the black eyed peas.
Thank you Megan!
I’ve never eaten black eyed peas (they’re pretty hard to find here) – and I never would have known they were a good luck thing!
Ask Jessie! He must know!!!
I absolutely love curry and I love eggplant! Perfect!
Match made in heaven 😉
Well, I’m not an eggplant fan, but I’m always up for trying new dishes! 🙂
I dare you to not love this one 😉
Haha! Alrighty then. 😉
I have never thought about using pureed roasted eggplant for the body of a curry. Clever!
It’s a fabulous way to make it super creamy without something like coconut milk!
This looks really delicious and comforting Rebecca 😀 Looks like I’m going to have to make this dish for New Year’s day – I need a bit of luck for the coming year!!
Hopefully this dish will work out for both of us 😉
Oh this looks so warm and comforting! Since we are already doing homemade “fridge” pizzas (we make the crust, because my husband is the pizza crust master and all our friends and family that come bring stuff and we use up leftovers and whatever, plus bought stuff to come up with some crazy creations. It mostly started one year with pulling out all the leftover veggies and cheese to try on pizzas when we ran out of cheese, yep Boursin cheese on an egg pizza) for New Years this may have to be on the menu before to bring me luck!
This year has been a mix of crazy emotions with the loss of so many love ones, 3 very close family members being diagnosed with cancer, not moving as planned, injury and having to adjust life and my goals, and then our major last minute remodel at the end of the year here that has had me out of the kitchen for the last 2 months and not being able to create things or do any blog posts (good thing I had a couple dozen in que to get through since it took longer than planned but still very quick for the major overhaul that was done). Ready for a new year and a “new start”. I was feeling maybe it was time to let the blog go as I wasn’t feeling the passion as much lately but since hubby paid for my domain for another 2 years while I was out running errands a few weeks ago I decided to keep going. My youngest LOVES getting in the kitchen with me and I love it too but with her in school, me volunteering there a couple days a week, and the girls activities I try to blog during the day but what I’m not having a lot of time for is the social media like I use to but going to try to adjust. Oh and winning a Navitas Naturals recipe contest, a friend had to tell me as she saw it on IG before I did, has me feeling like my “luck” and life is going to change. Well maybe it changed a couple weeks ago when I won that Anthropologie contest and my wish was granted, only they didn’t have any of the kitchen stuff I wished for in stock anymore. Anyways…. cheers to 2016, and I’m totally on board with the Indian/Curry and fusion trend!
That sounds like the most fun pizza tradition!
I have so many emotions and thoughts about this past year too. I really don’t have the words to even talk about it all.
Never stop! Even if you post every so often, I would miss you!!! Having just a hobby blog is a great place to just be able to document the recipes and that’s why I know I’ll never let it go, no matter what.
xoxoxoxoxo
Believe it or not but I lived the largest part of my life so far unaware of the good luck of black-eyed peas. Four-leaved clover and chimney sweepers I knew about but the lucky peas were only brought to my attention by another blogger a few years ago.
Either way I’m always in for a good curry and when it’s a lucky charm, too? Win-win!
Chimney sweepers?! I need to hear about this one!
Maybe I should try this this New Years… maybe it will help!
I think it will! I say you eat EVERY lucky food!
I knew black eyed peas would be making an appearance this week! They are looking tasty all curried up <3 I love how I always learn something in your posts, today with the Civil War mini story time 🙂 Although I'm still pondering the name black-eyed peas…did the normal peas get in a bar fight??
Hahahaha! Badass peas 😉 Or..well I guess they lost that fight if they got a black eye 😉
The only thing I dislike about the peas is I always think of The Black Eyed Peas (the old band, you know?) Hahahah! They ruined it!!!
Oh me too! Damn 90s bands haha. There was also this restaurant in the town I grew up in called The Black Eyed Pea so I think of that too…but they had yummy dirt cups so I’m okay with the association 🙂
That sounds like the coolest place!!! Hahaha 😉
Can’t wait to try this!
Let me know if you do!
I love eggplant and I love curry, this sounds absolutely delicious!
Thanks dear!
This looks delicious! And with chard!- Yum!
Thank you Emily!
Wow, Rebecca, this looks mouthwatering! Wishing you lots of luck in the New Year! 🙂
Haha, thanks Steph! you too!
I’ve actually been on a big black eyed pea kick lately and have literally used bags of them. I agree that they are super tasty in curry -yours looks delicious:)
That’s what I like to hear! 😉 Thank you Laura!
Girl this is my kind of New Years tradition. Glad to hear you are eating beans again. Not sure I would be able to lol. I love that you used Swiss chard and black eyed peas. My list of favorite beans is almost identical to you but I love white kidney beans too. Oh my heart!
Yea!!! I’ve been doing the black eyed pea thing for years now!
Creamy white beans are always good!!
I’ve only recently found I like black eyed peas. This sounds like the perfect fusion dish to enjoy.
They are fantastic! They have a wonderful distinct taste!
Loving the sound of this – my mom makes a roasted eggplant curry and your curry sounds delicious Rebecca! And I am intrigued- you mention you eat mango skins – do you eat them raw or in a curry?
Raw! Just slice rounds like you would an apple 😛
As a southerner, I’m all about the Black Eyed Peas and Collards on Christmas too!
I hope you mean New Years!
YUM! This looks so creative! I love that you could eat it for a complete meal or use as a side dish. You always come up with the best recipes!
Yea, you could! I feel like it could be a super hearty dip too! Haha! Thanks Chrissa!
I don’t blame you for feeling nervous about beans after that experience! It’s been so long since I’ve cooked with eggplant and I miss it. This looks super yummy 🙂
I couldn’t handle another bean death! Hahaha! But black eyed peas have never failed me yet 😉