Red-Red is a savory stew I first tasted nearly 20-years ago, while living in Ghana. It's a popular dish made from cowpeas, also known as black-eyed peas. Traditionally served with fried plantains, it's just as tasty eaten with brown rice Like most stews, Red-Red is best on the second day, after all the ingredients have marinated. I enjoy preparing it on special occasions for friends and relatives. I've not had one guest not like it. It's just that tasty.

Ingredients

• 3 to 4 cups black-eyed peas
• ½ to ¾ cups palm oil (preferably, unrefined)
• 3 to 4 ripe, juicy tomatoes, peeled and quartered
• ½ to ¾ of a small can of tomato paste
• 1 large tin of sardines in hot sauce (or tomato sauce, if you don't like spicy hot)
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 to 2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
• Spices to taste (I use Spike Original Gourmet Natural Seasoning and lots of cayenne pepper)

How to Cook Red Red

Peas

Rinse black-eyed peas and place in a large pot and fill with water to cover the peas. Season to taste with Spikes Original Seasoning. Bring to rapid boil and then lower heat and let cook until tender. Drain excess liquid from peas. Return peas to pot.

Sauce

While the peas are cooking, prepare the sauce by heating the palm oil in a skillet or frying pan. Add sliced onion and garlic to hot oil. Cook until onion is translucent. With slotted spoon, carefully remove cooked ingredients from oil and set aside. Add tomato paste to the remaining oil and cook until it has a crumbly look. Return onions and garlic to mixture, and stir well.

Pour the sauce into the pot of cooked peas and gently stir over low heat. Add the tomatoes, entire tin of sardines with liquid, and seasonings and let the stew simmer for about 45 minutes, checking and stirring periodically to make sure the stew doesn't scorch. Skim excess oil from mixture. Serve with fried plantains or brown rice. Enjoy!

For a more traditional version of Red Red and other Ghanaian recipes, go to www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/food/redred.html