The best way to cook dried black-eyed peas from scratch is to cook them on the stove. All you need is a cooking pot, a colander and a bowl. One cup of dried black-eyed peas makes 3 cups of cooked beans. Super easy!
Add a cup of dried black-eyed peas to a bowl.Cover them with boiling water and allow them to soak for 15 minutes. Drain.
Add soaked black-eyed peas, 4 cups of cold water, a bay leaf and a pinch of salt to the cooking pot. Bring to a rolling boil on high heat.
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Stir gently occasionally to ensure that the beans aren't sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Remove from heat and test if the beans are cooked by squishing one between your fingers. It should be tender but still, have a firm bite.
Drain into a colander placed on top of the bowl and cool completely before using in your recipes.
Notes
Storage - Cooked black-eyed peas can be stored in the fridge in an air-tight glass container for up to 3 days.Freezing - Black-eyed peas can be frozen in freezer-safe, air-tight bags or containers for up to 3 months. To eat from frozen, simply thaw at room temperature for a few hours. Cold long soak - Soak black-eyed peas in cold water for at least 8-10 hours before draining and following Recipe Instructions from Step 2 onwards.