Black-Eyed Pea Fritters With Honey-Sriracha Dipping Sauce

Some of you might remember that I don’t do New Year’s resolutions (get out of my gym, people!). But I do reluctantly admit that the year’s end is a good time to take stock of your year – for better or worse. 2013 was a tough year in many ways, and I’m not sad to put it in the rearview. The silver lining I’ll take is that I learned a lot about myself, my own mettle, and the positive lessons I can carry forward to 2014. Some of those lessons were new, and some I already knew, but just needed to work a little harder on applying. As the year comes to an end, I find myself looking back and wanting to share some of my most important new and old lessons from 2013. Last year we had New Year’s Dissolutions – what can we call these? Reso-lessons? I like it.

1. Be kind…

• …to yourself. We’re so damn hard on ourselves. Some of the traveling I’ve done this year makes me feel that this unique brand of drive for perfection and the subsequent self-flagellation when perfection inevitably proves impossible are uniquely American. And we need to stop it. Make mistakes. Learn from them. Don’t equate your accomplishments with your worth as a person. Our worth as people grows from what we put out into the world, not from the achievements we rack up.  And when we’re unkind to ourselves, it makes it almost impossible to be kind…
• …to others. This seems so obvious, doesn’t it?  But sometimes we forget to just be nice. Smile at strangers in the street, even when they don’t smile back and you look like an idiot. Say “good morning.” Empty your pockets of cash one day on the sidewalk and give it to somebody who needs it more. Buy an extra coffee and a bagel at Starbucks and give it to someone who’s cold and hungry. Listen to the people who talk to you – really listen and hear them. Before you do something – anything – ask yourself, “could this possibly hurt anyone?” Make that a decision point. Make compassion and unconditional love for other people a driver in everything you do. Do one thing every day that directly benefits somebody else without any tangible benefit to yourself.

2.  Forgive. Sometimes people just don’t act right. And that’s okay, because we all fall down, and we all deserve to have people who are willing to pick us up again. The best people you’ll ever have in your life are the ones who know all of your pitfalls and like you anyway. Forgiveness – without strings, without bitter feelings – is one of the greatest gifts one person can give another. That said: there is, of course, a line there. People in your life deserve everything you can give them, but you deserve kindness in return. Don’t be afraid to bid farewell to people who refuse to add anything to your life, who are just there to take. Removing toxic people from your world restores the energy you were pouring into a vacuum and allows you to expend it on those who deserve it. Forgive without fear and give second chances, even third, but when it becomes clear that things aren’t going to change, wish those people well and move on.

3.  Find the little things. Happiness is presented to us as yet another thing we’re supposed to achieve, a notch on the belt – find a house, find a spouse, make money, get promoted, and BE HAPPY, dammit. In the end, though, happiness is less an ultimate state of being than a collection of small moments, sewn into a patchwork bigger picture that we often don’t see. The first sip of iced coffee in the morning. A dog with its head out the car window. Laughing with a friend over something utterly idiotic. This mistletoe bush around the corner from my apartment – how can this not bring a smile to your face?

4.  Be grateful. For people, for small favors, for health. Gratitude for things I’ve forgotten about while lamenting other, smaller things has gone a long way in changing my attitude and helping me to stop lamenting, period. Also, attitude and gratitude rhyme, so that’s fun.

5.  Love. This is one natural resource we’ll never run out of. Give as much as you can to everyone you can. Appreciate the people in your life for who they are and celebrate them each day. Make them laugh. Let them make you laugh. Tell them how great they are and take them out for drinks. Surprise people. Enjoy people. Love people.

One thing I don’t have on this list is luck – I don’t know how much of that we bring to ourselves and how much is just happenstance. Either way, black-eyed peas are a traditional symbol of luck in the new year and supposedly usher in prosperity of all kinds. I’ve never tried to make a traditional Hoppin’ John or anything like that (honestly, sometimes I get kind of tired of trying to make things that are supposed to taste like bacon taste like bacon) but I’m excited to ring in 2014, and a little tradition never hurt anyone. Not too much tradition, mind you – these fritters are a far cry from a big pot of beans and rice and there’s nary a ham hock to be found, but they’re packed with flavor, easy to make, and can work as an appetizer or a veggie main dish with a big salad or quinoa on the side. I can’t guarantee that they’ll bring you prosperity or luck, but I do know my stomach feels pretty lucky to have them.

I wish all of you a very happy and healthy New Year. Thanks for sticking with me in 2013; I know I wasn’t around much. Let’s hang out more in 2014, okay?

5.0 from 1 reviews

Black-Eyed Pea Fritters with Honey-Sriracha Dipping Sauce

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

20 mins

 

A fun, flavorful variation on traditional Hoppin' John for New Year's (or anytime!).

Category: Appetizer. Main Dish

Yield: 10 fritters

Ingredients

Fritters

• 2 cups cooked black-eyed peas (or 1 15-oz can)
• 2 Tbsp minced red onion
• ½ one red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp kosher or sea salt
• Several grinds fresh black pepper
• 1 egg
• 1 Tbsp breadcrumbs
• Vegetable or sunflower oil for pan

Sauce

• ½ cup greek yogurt or sour cream
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp sriracha

Instructions

Fritters

1. If using canned black-eyed peas, rinse them thoroughly in a colander and drain.
2. Place black-eyed peas in a bowl and mash with a fork. It's okay if you still have a few whole or half bean pieces.
3. Add remaining ingredients and stir together to combine. Form into golf-ball size balls and press down slightly to flatten. Set aside.
4. In a medium frying pan, heat about ½ inch of oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot (flick a breadcrumb in there to see if it bubbles immediately), add fritters. Cook for about 1½ - 2 minutes per side, until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Sauce

1. Combine yogurt or sour cream, honey, and sriracha in a small bowl. Stir together until thoroughly combined.

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