Cowpeas

Soaking is optional: it can shorten the cooking time, but cowpeas usually cook well without it. If you soak them, cover with plenty of cold water for 6–8 hours, then drain and rinse before cooking.

Simmer soaked cowpeas in fresh water for about 30–45 minutes, or unsoaked ones for about 45–60 minutes, until tender. Keep them covered with water and add acidic ingredients such as tomatoes only once they are nearly soft.

Yes. Cover soaked, drained cowpeas with fresh water and pressure-cook for about 8–10 minutes; unsoaked ones take roughly 15–20 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before opening, then check that the beans are tender.

Cooked cowpeas work well in stews, soups and salads, or mashed into fritters. They are a key ingredient in West African akara, made by soaking and grinding the beans before frying the batter.

Black-eyed peas are a type of cowpea, named for the dark mark on the seed. Cowpeas also include varieties with other colours and patterns, so not every cowpea has a black eye.

Black-eyed peas are the closest swap and can be cooked in the same way. For a stew or soup, cannellini beans or chickpeas also work, though their flavour and texture are different.

Cool cooked cowpeas promptly, then keep them in a covered container in the fridge and use within 3–4 days. You can also freeze them in portions with a little cooking liquid for up to 3 months.

No: dried cowpeas should be soaked if desired and then boiled until fully tender before eating. Do not use a slow cooker on its own for raw dried beans; bring them to a boil in a pan first.