Pigeon Pea, or cajanus cajan, also known as arhar dal or split toor (tuvar) dal and Congo Pea, grows in Africa, Asia and Latin America. It is a perennial woody shrub growing to up to 4 metres tall.
The seeds are very nutritious, with 25% protein and 5 times more Vitamins A and C than green peas and can be eaten green and young or mature soaked and cooked as lentils, ground into flour or sprouted. The leaves and young shoots can also be eaten cooked.
In India and Java the young leaves are applied to sores or dried and powdered to expel bladder stones. In Argentina a steeped juice from the leaves is used for skin irritations.
Chickens, ducks, pigs and cattle also benefit from eating pigeon pea. The leaves are also a good source of food for silkworms.
In the garden pigeon pea is very useful as it fixes nitrogen form the atmosphere in the soil and can also be used as an excellent 'chop and drop' crop to use for mulch. The flowers are very attractive to bees and the bushes create a good windbreak or living trellis for climbing plants as part of a food forest.
Recipes:
Pigeon Pea Dal
Pigeon Pea Roti
Jamaican Pigeon Pea Soup
Pigeon pea patties