New Year Black Eye Peas

I grew up in a household with my mom and grandma. My mom is half Chinese and half Japanese, and my grandmother was full Japanese born in Hawaii. My grandma did a lot of cooking around the house, and I was able to learn a lot from her, even as a kid. Much of my love for food was actually inspired by the amazing dishes my grandma would cook for us, as my mom was working long hours.

My grandma owned a Chinese restaurant, so she cooked quite a bit of Chinese or Japanese food for us, and it was all amazing! Well every New Year (the traditional calendar) we would eat Black Eye Peas. I was told this was for good luck! Funny thing is, as a kid you assume some things, and I assumed this was some Asian tradition and Black Eye Peas were Chinese or Japanese food. It turns out that I was wrong. This is a staple dish in the southern US, originally from West Africa, which is now eaten on the New Year for good luck.

I honestly don't typically enjoy these more than once a year, where I make a big pot, eat it for a few days, and then wait until the following year to take part in this family tradition that has been passed down. As many traditions are passed down and passed on, I will pass on my recipe so you can take part (and have something to use your Christmas ham bone for). Happy New Year!

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