Pigeon Peas

Pigeon peas have been grown as food for people and animals for thousands of years. They are consumed dried, green and ground into a flour. Many cuisines in Asia and Africa combine pigeon pea with a cereal such as corn or rice because the pea adds a significant amount of nutrients to a high-carbohydrate cereal dish. diets. Dried peas can be sprouted prior to cooking to change the taste, and sprouting increases the digestibility of dried pigeon peas. In Swahili-speaking region of East Africa such as Kenya, pigeon peas are made into a coconut curry called bharazi and served with donuts for breakfast in dishes such as mbaazi na mahamri.  In Ethiopia, the young shoots and leaves are also cooked and eaten with the peas. In Nigeria the Igbo dish, Achịcha, combines pigeon peas with cocoyam and palm oil. Pigeon peas are prepared in a wide range of diverse dishes throughout southern India, and they are most commonly consumed in dahl with rice. Similarly, pigeon peas are served with rice throughout the Caribbean, and  arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas) is the national dish of Puerto Rico. In the Southern region of the United States, pigeon peas are not as popular as black-eye peas, but they are prepared in similar recipes when they are consumed. Pigeon peas are also an important source of fodder and animal feed. The American English name ‘Pigeon Pea’ stems from the historical use of the peas as fodder for pigeons in the Caribbean. In poorer countries prone to drought, the peas, leaves and stems are critical feed for livestock.