Soul Food · Authentic-ish Soul Food
Black-Eyed Peas
367 kcal a serving, against 418 for the traditional version. That is 51 kcal off, or 12%, with 26.7g of protein. Serves 6. 2 hours, plus overnight soak.
What the traditional version is
Dried black-eyed peas, soaked overnight, then simmered low and slow with salted pork belly, onion and a bay leaf. The pork melts down, flavouring the broth, and you get a salty, smoky spoonful in every bite.
What changed, and what each change costs
300g pork belly replaced with 80g smoked gammon
Pork belly gives you a luscious broth, but about half the calories come from fat. Smoked gammon's leaner, and you only need a little to get that porky edge.
What it costs you. It's thinner and not as rich. The smoky hit is there, but you'll miss that lip-coating broth if you grew up with it.
Add 5g smoked paprika
Since the pork can't carry the whole dish, smoked paprika steps in. It does a decent impression of slow-cooked meatiness, and it's practically free in calories.
What it costs you. You know it's there, so don't pretend this is the old way. Still, it does more than you'd expect for a teaspoon of dry powder.
Up the black-eyed peas from 500g to 600g
With much less fat in the pot, you can push the beans further to keep the dish hearty. More beans means more protein per bowl.
What it costs you. You get a thicker, peasantier final dish. Portion size looks generous but you don't feel weighed down.
Reduce water from 1500g to 1300g
Less fat means the broth can taste thin. Cutting the water just a bit gives a beanier, heartier bowl.
What it costs you. If you go too far, you'll get sludge. Keep an eye on it as it cooks and don't be afraid to splash a bit more in if the pot looks parched.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 418 | 367 |
| Protein | 29.4g | 26.7g |
| Fat | 11.2g | 2.1g |
| Saturated fat | 3.9g | 0.6g |
| Carbohydrate | 52.2g | 62.9g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 7g | 7.3g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Soul Food prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
The method is in the book
The original is velvetier and heavier on the lips, but you won't walk away hungry with this. It's not the same level of comfort food magic, but for the sake of cutting a slab of pork fat, it stays satisfying. The smoked paprika and lean ham put some backbone in the broth, and you can still taste where it came from.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Soul Food, along with 52 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.