DEEP FRIED BLACK EYED PEAS Y'ALL!

Steps:

• 1. Either the night before or early the same morning rinse and pick through the black eyed peas (to get the bad beans out) and put B.E.Ps in a large bowl or pot and cover with water. Water should be at least 3-4 inches above the B.E.Ps. Cover and set aside for at least 8 hours. Or over night. All you are doing is soaking your beans or peas to give them a head start on cooking and to make cooking of the beans more even through out them.
• 2. After beans have soaked for the time needed drain and rinse beans and put them in a heavy bottom pot. Cover beans with 2 inches of cold tap water.
• 3. Quarter onion, half and seed jalapeno (if using it) peel garlic, and grab a bay leaf and toss in the pot. Add powdered ham seasoning, salt and pepper (use more or less s&p to your taste)
• 4. Put B.E.Ps on stove top and heat on high until they start to boil and then reduce heat to a simmer (that is medium low on my stove) and cover pot lid set cockeyed so peas can vent well. ADD water as needed to keep liquid in them.
• 5. Cook B.E.Ps for 30-40 minutes until done. Peas when done will be firm but when you bite into them they will be creamy. Don't over cook or the peas will not fry they will just make a mush pile!
• 6. Once done strain peas in colander let drain for 5 minutes and then spread them on a sheet pan lined with paper towels or a dish towel and cool completely in fridge. Remove onion pepper and bay leaf. Leave in fridge until ready to fry.
• 7. Heat oil in pan to 350 degrees add 1 to 1 1/2 cups cooked, cooled peas to hot oil and fry for 3-5 minutes until crispy. If you over cook to much they become hard through and not as good as when soft in the middle.
• 8. Once cooked to crispy remove peas and drain on paper towels. Draining should only take about 1-2 minutes. Put drained peas in a bowl and sprinkle with Cajun Seasoning and a pinch of salt, toss to lightly coat peas and put them into serving dish.
• 9. Repeat until all the peas are fried. **This is the seasoning I use on the Peas :)
• 10. **This is the Ham flavoring I use when boiling the Peas. Sit back and chow down with a good movie! BUT mostly just ENJOY!!! Happy Cooking!
• 11. I make these for breakfast! Deep Fried Black Eyed Peas, Hash Browns, Bacon and a Over Medium Egg is awesome together! When that warm yolk hits the Peas and other goodies it is AWESOME!