A pigeon pea mystery

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Whether it was due to an accident of history, discouraging strong winds, or other factors that prevented pigeon peas from becoming a part of Bermuda’s cultural history and cuisine as they did in the Caribbean it would be interesting to know.

Few gardeners plant them here even though they are quite easy to grow, require little attention and are a rich source of protein. There are other compelling reasons to grow pigeon peas: They carry a legacy of migration, survival, culture and ecological value.

The following pigeon pea-inspired poem speaks to the significance of pigeon peas in the African and Indian Diasporas, which many Bermudians may relate to even though few have any memory of an association with this pea. The poem is reprinted from the Caribbean Studies Journal, Anthurium Volume 7, Issue 1 & 2, with kind permission from the Trinidadian poet, Lelawatee Manoo-Rahming.

Shelling Pigeon Peas

Gungo, toor, gandules

Pulse off the tongue

Staccato

Exotic like some import

But the true import

Is not the high-yield pigeon pea

Common in the tropics from India to Africa

Paramaribo to Nassau

The true import is the people

Black, brown and yellow

Who came in waves

Through seawater waves

In ships slave and cargo

Black, brown and yellow

Compartmentalised

Like peas in pods

Oblate, boat-shaped

People pods

Forming ties across bounds Jahaji bhai

Boat brothers and then blood brothers

Jahaji bahin sisterblood

Finding solace in shelling peas

Shelling the stigma of servitude

Collecting the protein-rich

Seed encapsulated in green

Flavouring pots of nostalgic stew

Christmas pelau

Pea soup, rice n’peas

Peas shelled by these hands

On the day after

Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott

Touched these same hands

Spoke his words,

Development must consider poverty

We are of poverty but we are not

Poor of spirit

For we are the children

Of the black, brown and yellow people

Who came in pods

Across blackened seas

Who sloughed off pain

Like they sliced sugar cane

Who sucked on salt

Ate sada roti with oil and pepper

Banded their bellies

Bent their backs

And cutlassed clear paths

Through the burning cane

For us all

To find our way

To the river cool and bright

Names, production and consumption

Pigeon pea, (Cajanus cajan L.) in Swahili is ‘mbaazi’. Elsewhere they are called Congo, gungo, gumbo, gandules and no eye peas, toor, red grams, and others names. One billion people in 82 countries rely on them as a main source of protein. India, Africa and Central America are the top producers, in that order, (Wikipedia) with India growing 90 percent from 100 varieties. It is an important canning export in the Dominican Republic, Trinidad, Puerto Rico, South America and Hawaii. It is grown primarily for home consumption in Africa and other Caribbean islands and widely used as a nitrogen fixing cover crop in semi-arid areas.

Origins and associations

It is not known with certainty from which country pigeon peas originated but it is certain, according to experts, they were grown in ancient times in Africa and India and came with slavery to western shores.

Pigeon peas are small, round, tan to brown peas often used in the Caribbean dish Rice n’ Peas and Indian Toor Dahl curries. They can be found in the dried bean section of supermarkets, but are not usually served in Bermudian homes. So why encourage growing pigeon peas if it is not a part of our local culture and cuisine?

Practical reasons

Fish and meat have become costly and it makes sense to supplement the most expensive portion of the food bill with nutritious protein plants that can be home grown for free. Pigeon peas, unlike most food legumes, grow on bushes 4 - 8 feet high lasting three to five years. They are considered an important survival food because they are a low input crop that tolerates poor soils and a wide range of soil pH from as low as 5.0 to as high as 8.0. (Bermuda’s is in the upper range). While they favour moist conditions they tolerate drought, heat, and long-term stress. The branches are brittle and cannot withstand strong winds nor tolerate salt spray. However, if branches snap new leaves will sprout below the break.

All legumes have bacteria in root nodules that fix free nitrogen from the atmosphere in the soil. Pigeon peas are excellent nitrogen fixers and increase the availability of phosphorus bound up with iron in the soil. This benefit alone is a good reason to plant them.

Deep-rooting pigeon pea bushes break up hard soil, improve soil structure and drainage, and utilise nutrients as deep as six feet where other plants can’t reach. These nitrogen-fixing and deep-rooting traits make them an ideal companion for shallow rooted crops such as cucumbers that benefit from some shade during the hottest months. Their flowers attract bees; the leaves provide nutritious forage for animals and chickens and mulch that cools soils and retains moisture. They can be used as wind breaks and support for climbing plants.

Seed sources

It is okay to use pigeon peas from the supermarket but you won’t know the variety and they are sometimes too old to germinate. Alternatively, order seeds from a supplier online or get them from a local gardener. The tall variety may be best for our conditions. Plant them 1 inch deep or in pots and transplant at least 6 to 8 feet apart. They germinate in 15-20 days and flower in 10 to 15 weeks; the pods form shortly after. Pick green pods for green peas or let them dry on the bush for dried peas.

Nutrition

Dried pigeon peas are cooked in numerous ways with rice to make a complete protein. They are also eaten green and used the same as green peas. Nutritionally, pigeon peas are not as complete in amino acids as soybeans but what they are short on they more than make up for in their multiple functions.

Sankofa

Sankofa is a Ghanaian word that means, “Go back and get it”. Let’s go back and reclaim this part of our ancestral diet. Although there has been a long separation, it is not too late to reconnect with mbaazi or toor and allow it to serve us today as it did our ancestors as food, a bond shared with dispersed kin, and a keystone plant in the garden. Try the popular Kenyan dish below as incentive.

Mbaazi za Nazi — (Pigeon Peas in Coconut Sauce)

1 cup dried pigeon peas, soaked overnight, and boiled

1 13oz. can coconut milk

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 inch ginger, grated

3 chillies, minced

¼ tsp. turmeric powder

½ cup fresh coriander, finely chopped

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

salt to taste

1. Heat oil over medium heat and sauté onion until golden brown.

2. Add the boiled pigeon peas and coconut milk.

3. Add the garlic, ginger chillies, turmeric and salt.

3. Cook for 30 minutes. If necessary, add a little water. Stir in the chopped coriander.

4. Serve with Mandazi (coconut bread)

Recipe from the Nisha-Nishanth-cooking. blogspot

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