Pigeon Pea (30 seeds)

Pigeon Pea

Cajanus cajan

Pigeon Pea is one of the world's oldest cultivated legumes, native to Asia and grown across tropical and subtropical regions for thousands of years for its highly nutritious seeds, edible pods, leaves, and young shoots. The nutty, grain-like flavoured seeds are a staple in Indian toor dal, Caribbean cooking, and a wide range of Asian and Latin American dishes, rich in protein and three important amino acids. A fast-growing, drought-tolerant shrub that also fixes nitrogen, making it as valuable in the garden ecosystem as it is in the kitchen.

Growing as a woody shrub to 1–4 m with attractive yellow or red flowers and long pods containing 2–9 seeds, Pigeon Pea thrives in full sun and tolerates poor soils and dry conditions once established. Frost tender, it performs best in warm regions and suits growing as an annual in cooler areas. An excellent plant for food forests, permaculture gardens, windbreaks, and edible hedging.

Fresh green peas can be shelled and boiled or steamed as a side vegetable. Dried seeds should be soaked overnight then simmered for 45–60 minutes until tender, and are excellent in soups, stews, curries, and rice dishes. Split and dried, they cook down into a rich, creamy dal in around 30 minutes without pre-soaking.

Planting Season: Spring, Summer
Sow: Direct, 2–3 cm deep
Spacing: 30–60 cm apart
Height: 1–4 m; fast-growing woody shrub
Germination: 10–21 days at 20–30°C
Harvest: 120–150 days; pick pods when firm and well filled
Flavour: Nutty and grain-like; excellent fresh, dried, or split as dal

30 Seeds