Green Black-Eyed Peas – Post 101

After 100 posts on the original Galilee Seasonality blog, this post number 101 launches a new blog/website I created to bring together my writing in all its formats.  Hopefully the transition has been seamless for followers of my blog, and I apologize if there have been any duplicate postings…

Putting the finishing touches on the new site, I was reminded that this is, after all, a culinary notebook, and that it has been some time since I posted a recipe.   I am assuming that most readers are familiar with black-eyed peas in their dried form, but how many of you have ever had fresh black-eyed peas, or even seen them in their pods?

Known as “lubiya” in Arabic and Hebrew, black-eyed peas have a long and prolific growing season, and are eaten in Arab homes in the Galilee from spring through fall.   My friend and mentor, Um Malek, grows lubiya near her home, on a small plot of land in the Batof – Bet Netufa Valley.  On a recent visit, she gave me a bag of freshly picked lubiya to take home (since Um Malek never lets me leave empty handed, I came prepared with a jar of our new olives for her from this year’s harvest).  Here is a recipe for lubiya from my other culinary mentor, Balkees Abu Rabiya.

Balkees’ Lubiya

About 500 grams (1 pound) fresh lubiya

1 onion chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Clean the lubiya and shell.  The large, tough pods should be opened and only the peas inside collected.  The smaller, more tender pods are broken into small pieces the size of each pea.  Soak the shelled peas (and pods) in water for about 1/2 hour to soften.  Meantime, saute the onion in the olive oil till transparent.  Add the drained lubiya and cook, stirring, until they stop producing liquid.  Then add the tomatoes and a bit of water if the mixture is too dry.  Cook for about 20 minutes until everything is soft and stewy.  Season with salt and enjoy with fresh pita bread.