Shared by Jackie Jonas
How Ghanaian Red Red Found Its Way to a Shabbat Table
Yield: 8-10 servingsTime: 2 hours, plus overnight soak if using dried black eyed peas
How Ghanaian Red Red Found Its Way to a Shabbat Table
Yield: 8-10 servingsTime: 2 hours, plus overnight soak if using dried black eyed peasFamily Journey
Dickson, TNMemphis, TNPittsburgh, PA
Philadelphia, PA
“I’m the daughter of gospel singers and the granddaughter of Apostolic bishops. So I grew up in the Black church,” says storyteller Jackie Jonas over Zoom from her kitchen in Philadelphia. Her family lived in Dickson, a town in central Tennessee where anti-mecegination laws remained on the books until she was in high school.
Both her mother Iva Jean and grandmother Mildred worked as professional cooks. “We had the kinds of foods that you would expect,” she continues. That included the black eyed pea and rice dish hoppin’ John and collard greens for good luck on New Years.
A decade ago, Jackie traveled to Ghana with friends where she recognized herself in the people around her. As they drove up the coast from Accra, she subsisted on red red, a Ghanaian black eyed pea dish that gets its signature red color from palm oil. It’s a “dish that seems to unite this country,” Jackie explains. She also sees it as the mother of hoppin’ John. “Red red is what we were trying to get back to,” she adds.
Jackie learned to make the dish from Franciska Issaka, a woman she met on that trip who later visited her in Philadelphia. As a Jew by choice, the dish has become part of Jackie’s Jewish practice. She serves it on Shabbat and she prepared it for a synagogue fundraiser where guests discussed the intersection of race and religion. “I connect with whatever group I’m moving into through food,” Jackie explains. “Food is how we tell each other who we are.”
Cooking notes: This recipe calls for red palm oil, a type of vegetable oil extracted from the fruit of the oil palm tree. It has a deep reddish-orange color and has a distinct earthy, slightly nutty, and mildly smoky flavor. Look for a habitat-friendly red palm oil such as this one to buy online.
This recipe comes from “Tlaim: The Patchwork Cookbook,” a grassroots project dedicated to celebrating the ethnic and racial diversity of the Jewish community. With over 70 delicious recipes and stories, Tlaim centers underrepresented Jewish identities such as Jews of color. Follow Tlaim on Instagram and sign up to be notified of the release of the cookbook, which is made in collaboration with non-profit Be’chol Lashon. Stay tuned for more recipes from Tlaim on the JFS archive this year.
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried black-eyed peas or two 15 ounce cans black-eyed peas
- 4 medium yellow onions, sliced
- 5 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can whole or diced tomatoes
- 1 small habanero pepper, deseeded
- 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled
- 2 tablespoons red palm oil
- 2 vegetable bouillon cubes
- 1 cup vegetable broth
Preparation
Step 1
Prepare the black-eyed peas: If you’re using dried black-eyed peas, soak them in plenty of water overnight. After soaking, rinse and drain the peas. Transfer them to a pot and add enough water to cover them by at least two inches. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook the peas for 90 minutes, or longer, until the beans are tender. To check for doneness, taste a bean or mash one against the side of the pot. If you are using canned beans, drain and rinse well.
Step 2
In a food processor or blender, puree the tomatoes with about ¼ cup of the sliced onions until smooth.
Step 3
Finely grind the habanero pepper with the garlic and the ginger using a mortar and pestle (or very finely mince the habanero, garlic and ginger). Habaneros are extremely spicy, so be sure to wash your hands thoroughly, and clean your mortar and pestle, knife, and cutting board after handling them.
Step 4
Heat the palm oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add half of the remaining onions and sauté, stirring frequently for 5-7 minutes, until very soft, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Step 5
Stir in the minced garlic, habanero, ginger, and bouillon cubes. Cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
Step 6
Pour in the blended tomatoes and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring continuously.
Step 7
Add the vegetable broth, reduce the heat to low, and let the stew simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If it begins to stick to the bottom, add a splash of water as needed.
Step 8
Stir in the beans and the remaining onions, then simmer uncovered for another 10–15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired.
Step 9
Serve hot with steamed long-grain rice.
