Black Eyed Peas & Sun Dried Tomatoes Skillet Fry is a fiber-licious weeknight meal that’s loaded with all kinds of flavors. Enjoy as a light & healthy side.

A skillet is one important pan in my kitchen. This flat bottomed pan also known as the frying pan is my most used pan. Since I use it in almost all my cooking for frying and sautéeing, I have a couple of them handy. Black Eyed Peas & Sun Dried Tomatoes Fry was made in a skillet, hence the name. This dish can be served in multiple ways. You can treat it as a warm salad and enjoy a bowl as is, you can serve it as a side for chapati or roti, use them as toppings over your savory waffles or even serve them over toasted bread as Bruschetta. This versatile dish is super easy to make and is bursting with all kinds of flavors. The black eyed peas gives this dish a hearty feel, the sun-dried tomatoes bring in the required tang and kick while the greens in it make it more balanced and nourishing and the cheese is just to make us feel good! All in all, this is one must-try dish especially on busy weeknights because it is ridiculously easy and simple to make and of course it tastes great. Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself. I promise, you will not be disappointed. I actually prepared this skillet fry for a family brunch the other day and it was very well received. 

I discovered sun-dried tomatoes here in the US. Before that, I had never heard of it. We only only used regular tomatoes in most of our dishes. On one of my grocery shopping trips, I had seen a packet of sun-dried tomatoes which I picked up instantly despite knowing anything about the taste. I have tried various recipes with it and Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta is still my favorite! What are sun-dried tomatoes? They are exactly what the name says. Ripe tomatoes treated with salt or other seasonings are dried in the sun till all the water in it evaporates. It takes about 8-10 days for the process. The best part is that despite the drying, the tomatoes still hold their nutritional value. They have been widely used in pasta and salad recipes because of its unique taste. Having sun-dried tomatoes comes handy especially in cold places where growing tomatoes in such extreme weather is not possible. Many make a paste or sauce using these tomatoes and preserve it. I believe, making them at home is not very complicated, so I want to try making sun-dried tomatoes at home. I think the process is very similar to making turmeric powder.

My other key ingredient in this recipe is Black Eyed Peas. One of the biggest benefits of consuming black-eyed pea is the high levels of dietary fiber, which helps to promote regular bowel movements and improve the health of the digestive system. They are also rich in potassium that helps keep our blood pressure levels at healthy numbers and lowers risk of heart disease. They are also rich in vitamin A and high in folate which is good for our vision and body. I always have these dry peas in my pantry and try to add it in recipes as and when needed. I love making Simple Plant Based Black Eyed Peas and Dill Curry which I learnt from my neighbor aunty. Some other favorite recipes using these peas are Black Eyed Peas Frittata Omelet, Pepper Rice With Black Eyed Peas  and Spinach & Black Eyed Peas Masala.My MIL adds black eyed peas in Keerai which I feel is a great addition to this stew type curry. All these recipes are great for weeknight meals. They are simple to follow and have great taste. Without getting frustrated on what to cook tonight, I suggest you give this dish a try rather than ordering takeout or eating processed food!

I really enjoyed making this recipe because its made using all fresh ingredients! Its a great way to sneak in veggies and to ensure that all the fussy eaters enjoy this meal without a fuss. Let me walk you through the recipe now. For this we will be using cooked black eyed peas. I normally soak dry black eyed peas in water, overnight. Then drain the water and boil the peas in salt + turmeric water till they are cooked. Drain the water but do not throw away the water. You can use it as stock in some other recipe. Heat olive oil in a skillet and once its hot add minced garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes and chopped onions. Saute till the raw smell goes away and the onions turn translucent. Then tear basil leaves and throw them into the pan. Add crushed pepper and sea salt along with turmeric powder and sun dried tomatoes. If you wish to then add paprika as well. Mix and continue to saute for 5 minutes. Add red wine vinegar before adding the cooked black eyed peas. Give it all a mix and garnish with crumbled feta cheese. Black Eyed Peas & Sun Dried Tomatoes Skillet Fry is ready. It tastes best when served warm but you can have it like a cold salad as well. 

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Black Eyed Peas & Sun Dried Tomatoes Skillet Fry

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Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: black eyed peas, stir fry, sun dried tomatoes, vegan

Servings: 4 people

Author Priya Lakshminarayan

Equipment

• skillet

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked black eyed peas
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 5-6 cloves garlic
• 1 inch ginger
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 onion
• 0.75 oz basil leaves
• salt and pepper as required
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 3.5 oz sun dried tomatoes
• 1/4 cup feta cheese

Instructions

• For this we will be using cooked black eyed peas. I normally soak dry black eyed peas in water, overnight. Then drain the water and boil the peas in salt + turmeric water till they are cooked. Drain the water but do not throw away the water. You can use it as stock in some other recipe.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet and once its hot add minced garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes and chopped onions. Saute till the raw smell goes away and the onions turn translucent.
• Then tear basil leaves and throw them into the pan. Add crushed pepper and sea salt along with turmeric powder and sun dried tomatoes. If you wish to then add paprika as well. Mix and continue to saute for 5 minutes.
• Add red wine vinegar before adding the cooked black eyed peas. Give it all a mix and garnish with crumbled feta cheese.
• Black Eyed Peas & Sun Dried Tomatoes Skillet Fry is ready. It tastes best when served warm but you can have it like a cold salad as well.

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Here are some recipes that you can serve as sides – Butternut Squash & Edamame Curry, Shahi Parwal/Royal Ivy Gourd Curry, Creamy Tofu Spinach Mushroom Curry, Black Eyed Peas and Dill Curry, Paneer Capsicum Curry and Paruppu Usili Curry. Here are some gobi/cauliflower recipes that you can try – Cauliflower & Broccoli Stir Fry in Chimichurri Sauce, Simple Cauliflower & Kale Curry Recipe, Vegan Cauliflower Pepper Fry Recipe, Vegan Cauliflower Tikka Masala, Cauliflower and Tomato Rassa, Cilantro and Garlic flavored mashed Cauliflower and Cauliflower and Black Rice Fritters.