Pigeon pea

Cajanus cajan

legume

Seeds of a perennial legume of the semi-arid tropics, split and hulled into toor dal for Indian curries, or cooked whole with rice in the Caribbean. 100 g dry provide 22 g of protein, 15 g of fibre, 5 mg of iron and 130 mg of calcium.

Origin

India

Season (United States)

all year round · grows in your region

Preparation

Hulled and split (toor dal), they cook for 30 to 45 minutes without soaking and melt into a purée; whole and dried, they soak overnight and cook for an hour. Always cooked, never raw. Soaking, sprouting or sourdough bring its phytates down — and release the zinc and iron they were holding.

Molecules

Resistant starch RS1 · GOS (galacto-oligosaccharides) · ProteinWhat slows things down Phytates

Did you know?

Angola pea, Congo pea, ambrevade, pwadibwa in Guadeloupe, toor or arhar in India: it has almost as many names as countries.