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Sweet potato and black eyed peas with seedy sun-dried tomato oil

The smell of black eyed peas simmering on the stovetop is very nostalgic to me. My mother added them to many of her daily tong (soup) and also to jook. Black eyed peas are a part of her traditional Chinese medicinal pantry, as they are considered helpful in promoting stomach and spleen health, and useful in strengthening qi (energy) and eliminating dampness. My olfactory memory is a strong motivator for me in the kitchen.

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A bowl of mixed salad with black-eyed peas, cherry tomatoes, corn, red bell peppers, sweet potatoes, and fresh greens on a marble surface with a spoon.

This black eyed pea salad that speaks especially to the in-between days. When days get warmer and longer, the sun sits higher and mightier, and there is promise in the air. This anticipation is my fuel. This colourful, spoonable salad encapsulates these high hopes.

Sun-dried tomatoes are made by dehydrating tomatoes in the sun (or in a dehydrator, or the oven). As they dry, they lose most of their water content, resulting in sweet, tangy and chewy bites that are complete flavour bombs.

Dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes can also be used for this recipe. They have a chewy texture similar to dried fruit – I recommend rehydrating them first by soaking in water for 10 to 15 minutes, then drain, dry and chop them up.

Sweet potato and black eyed peas with seedy sun-dried tomato oil

Serves

Ingredients

150 g dried black eyed peas or 2 (15.5 Ounce / 440g) cans black eyed peas, drained
1 garlic clove
sea salt and black pepper
450 g sweet potato, washed and cut into 2cm (3/4 inch) cubes
1 teaspoon ground coriander
extra virgin olive oil
140 g frozen corn
1 capsicum / bell pepper (any color), diced
1 small red onion, diced
150 g cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
big handful basil leaves, torn or roughly chopped

Seedy sun-dried tomato oil

60 ml extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
6 oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper flakes
sea salt and black pepper

Substitutions

Black eyed peas: chickpeas
Sweet potato: butternut squash, carrot, turnip
Frozen corn: frozen peas, frozen edamame

Instructions

Heat oven to 200˚C / 400˚F.
If cooking dried black eyed peas, place them into a medium pot and cover with 2 inches (5cm) of water. Add the garlic clove and 2 big pinches of salt. Place on medium high heat, bring to the boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer until tender, 35 to 45 minutes. When they are ready, add the corn just to blanch them. Drain. Gently stir the garlic clove to break to up (or discard).
Meanwhile, place the sweet potato on a baking sheet and add the ground coriander, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat and then arrange in a single layer. Roast until golden around the edges and tender, 18 to 20 minutes
To make the seedy sun-dried tomato oil, place the olive oil in small pot and heat on medium-high until hot but not smoking, about 1 to 2 minutes (if you are not sure, you can insert a wooden spoon or chopstick and if it sizzles, it is hot enough). Add the garlic, coriander and fennel seeds and cook until the garlic is turning golden and the seeds start to pop, about 2 minutes. Take off the heat, add the sun-dried tomatoes and red chili (pepper) flakes and season with salt and black pepper. Stir to combine. Set aside to cool.
In a large serving bowl, add the sweet potato, black eyed peas, corn, capsicum/bell pepper, red onion, and tomatoes. Add the seeded sun-dried tomato oil and toss to combine. Taste and season with sea salt and black pepper. Add the basil and toss again.
Serve at room temperature. The salad can be made up to 4 hours ahead and kept at room temperature.