Pigeon peas are big in the Caribbean. They are mixed into rice or served as a side like this vegetarian and vegan Caribbean stewed dry pigeon peas.
Pigeon peas were very common in my household, we even had a pigeon peas tree in the backyard. Although, pigeon peas and rice is a popular thing, they are various ways to use these peas. Like in a soup or as a side dish, just like this stewed dry pigeon peas recipe.
In this recipe, I used dry pigeon peas because I had a bag of them just sitting there. So I had to use up what I already had there. However, if you don’t have the dry kinds then you can most definitely use the can version. But if you are like me and all you have is the dry kinds then you will need to soak them overnight.
Soaking the peas overnight will reduce the cooking time. I usually place the peas in a bowl and I cover them with 2 cups of water. The peas will absorb must of the water after a couple of hours but that is not a problem.
Along with soaking, you will have to boil these peas for a longtime before stewing them. I boiled my peas in a pot filled with salted water, I threw in basil leaves, crushed garlic cloves and that was it. I kept the boiling process simple in terms of seasoning because I was going to season it afterwards.
Besides this recipe having a long cooking time, it is a simple recipe. It is a perfect side dish to serve at dinner or for a party. It’s vegetarian and vegan friendly because I chose not to have any bites of meat in it.
Before I dive into the recipe, I thought I should share some few TIPS & TRICKS so that you guys can get the best results.
TIPS & TRICKS
- Boiling and soaking the peas: Obviously, these steps play a key part in the recipe. I recommend soaking the peas from the night before. Obviously if you are using the peas from the can then soaking and boiling the peas beforehand is unnecessary. But if you are not using the peas from the can then you need to soak for a minimum of 8 hours. The boiling process is simple. Like I stated previously, all you need to do is add a pot of water over medium-low heat, season with salt, add garlic cloves and bay leaves. Of course, you need to add the peas and boil them for 2 hours.
- Stewing the peas: This is the most important part of the recipe, hint the name of the recipe. After the peas have been boiled for at least 2 hours, I like to grab a fresh pot and add oil to it along with garlic, onion, bell peppers, herbs, seasonings and water. I like to stew the peas on a medium-low heat for 30 minutes to an hour to ensure the peas will cook through and will not be hard.
- Picking the peas: Before soaking the peas, I recommend thoroughly picking the debris out. Debris is basically either picking out any bugs, extra dry and old peas or any branches or whatever that may be hiding in the peas.
I hope you enjoy the recipe.
Now, let’s get into it.
Caribbean Stewed Dry Pigeon Peas
Ingredients
Soaking proces:
- 2 cups Water
- 1 cup Dry pigeon peas
Boiling process:
- Soaked pigeon peas
- 3 cups Water
- 2 medium Garlic cloves smashed
- 2 tsp Salt
- 2 Bay leaves
For the stew:
- 4-6 branches Parsley
- 2 branches Thyme
- 1 medium Bell pepper sliced
- 1 medium Onion sliced
- 2 cups Water
- 2 tbsp Tomato paste
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black pepper
Instructions
Soaking the peas:
- In a large bowl, add the peas and cover it with water.
- Let it soak for 8 hours to overnight.
- Once the peas have been soaked for the respected time, drain and set aside.
Boiling the peas:
- In medium pot over medium-low heat, add the bay leaves, garlic cloves, salt and the peas.
- Stir, cover and let it boil for 1 1/2-2 hours.
Stewing the peas:
- Place another medium size pot over medium-low heat, warm the olive oil then add the onions, bell peppers and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the peas followed by water, tomato paste, parsley, thyme, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, salt and black pepper.
- Stir everything together and let it simmer for an hour.
- After the hour mark, serve it over some rice and enjoy!
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