name: Pigeon Pea

flavor_db_name_variants: pigeon pea

source: foodb

status: draft

food_db_id: Pigeon pea

id: 37

name_scientific: Cajanus cajan

description: The pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) is a perennial legume from the family Fabaceae. Since its domestication in India at least 3,500 years ago, its seeds have become a common food grain in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. It is consumed on a large scale mainly in south Asia and is a major source of protein for the population of that subcontinent. Pigeon peas are both a food crop (dried peas, flour, or green vegetable peas) and a forage/cover crop. In combination with cereals, pigeon peas make a well-balanced human food. The dried peas may be sprouted briefly, then cooked, for a flavor different from the green or dried peas. Sprouting also enhances the digestibility of dried pigeon peas via the reduction of indigestible sugars that would otherwise remain in the cooked dried peas. Pigeon peas contain high levels of protein and the important amino acids methionine, lysine, and tryptophan. [Wikipedia]

itis_id: 26516

wikipedia_id: Pigeon pea

picture_file_name: 37.jpg

picture_content_type: image/jpeg

picture_file_size: 95750

picture_updated_at: 2012-04-20T09:44:09.000Z

legacy_id: 40

food_group: Pulses

food_subgroup: Peas

food_type: Type 1

created_at: 2011-02-09T00:37:16.000Z

updated_at: 2019-05-14T18:04:14.000Z

creator_id: null

updater_id: null

export_to_afcdb: false

category: specific

ncbi_taxonomy_id: 3821

export_to_foodb: true

public_id: FOOD00037