Pigeon peas are hardy, easy to grow, and beneficial to intercropping. Orginally a staple pulse in Indian cuisine, they became incorporated over time into the cuisines of Asia and Africa, and then brought to the New World via the slave trade.

In this episode of Climate Cuisine, Aeles, an indigenous chef in Taiwan discusses the ways her tribe cooks the pea; Vikram Doctor, a food journalist in India describes how it’s used in Indian cuisine; and Koreen Brennan, a permaculture instructor based in Florida, explains why it’s such a great plant to have in tropical gardens.