Grain of the Week - 38 - Indian Cowpeas

What we know as cow peas in India especially in South India is smaller and brown in color when compared to the Cow peas of Southern US which are much bigger and usually cream colored or white.

These cow peas are a much preferred legume for cultivation in the drier, sub arid regions of South India. The cow pea provides plenty of nitrogen to the soil and it is used intercropped with other cereal crops for the nutrition it provides to the soil.

Cow peas are rich source of dietary fiber and protein. It also contains potassium and iron which are required nutrients for the body. Cow peas is cooked in several different ways. The most popular recipe in the Kongu region is this way of cooking it in a kuzhambu usually with eggplants/brinjal. They can also be cooked with bottle gourd, bitter gourd.

Indian Cow peas - Black Eyed Peas

The broken cow peas can be used to make this lentil-rice dish called arisiyum paruppu saatham.

Par boiled cow peas can be used in salads and can be eaten as such. I had a colleague who ate cow peas and vegetables only for lunch - no rice.

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