Red Red

Rinse the Dried Black-Eyed Peas under cold water, then cover with fresh Water and soak 1–2 hours (or skip soaking if short on time). Drain, place the peas in a pot, cover with fresh water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 30–45 minutes; reserve about a cup of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, finely chop one or two Onions, roughly chop the Tomatoes (or pulse them in a blender), mince the Garlic and Ginger, and thinly slice the Scotch Bonnet Chili (remove seeds if you want less heat).

Heat 2–3 tablespoons of Red Palm Oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté until soft and beginning to brown, about 5–7 minutes.

Stir in the minced garlic, ginger and sliced chili and cook for 30–60 seconds until fragrant. Add the chopped tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of Tomato Paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and the oil turns a bright red, about 8–10 minutes.

Add the cooked peas to the tomato base along with a cup of their reserved cooking liquid. Gently mash a handful of peas against the side of the pan to thicken the stew, then fold in flaked Smoked Mackerel.

Crumble a Seasoning Cube into the stew and add Salt to taste; simmer gently for 5–10 minutes so the flavors meld. If the stew is too thick, loosen with a splash of water or more reserved cooking liquid.

While the stew simmers, peel and slice the Plantains on a diagonal. Heat enough Vegetable Oil in a frying pan to coat the bottom and fry the plantain slices in batches until golden and caramelized, about 2–3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and season lightly with extra salt if desired.

Taste and adjust seasoning of the stew one last time. Serve the hot red stew with the fried plantains alongside, garnishing with extra flaked smoked mackerel if you like.