Christmas Pigeon Peas

This vegan Christmas Pigeon Peas Recipe uses the perfect combination of ingredients to compliment the freshness of the pigeon peas and bring out that true traditional trini Christmas flavor in the dish, the way granny used to make it.

If you ask the average person what one thing they must cook for the christmas holidays to represent the season they would most likely say pastelles, ham or turkey. For me the one thing I must make for the holiday season is fresh pigeon peas. When I was growing up we actually had a peas tree in our yard so every christmas we would get fresh peas. My mother would make us sit down and shell the peas and although I hated doing it when as I was small, now I look back at those times and appreciate that I had them.

Even though we hated doing the actual chore, if my mother decided to help us do it we would get some story about “long time” and I think all children loved hearing stories about long time so it was a good trade off.

Christmas Pigeon Peas Recipe

Christmas Pigeon Peas – Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh pigeon peas
• 2 cups pumpkin, diced
• 1 large onion
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 4 pimentos finely chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp roucou
• 1 pinch of nutmeg
• 3 sprigs of Portuguese thyme
• 4 blades of chives finely chopped
• 1 cup of coconut milk
• 3 cups of water
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• salt & black pepper to taste

Christmas Pigeon Peas – Method:

1. To a pot on medium/ high heat add oil and bring up to temperature
2. Saute onions for 45 seconds
3. Add garlic and pimento and saute for 45 seconds
4. Saute pumpkin for two minutes
5. Add pigeon peas, bay leaves, roucou, nutmeg then season with salt and pepper.
6. Saute for 1 minute
7. Add coconut milk and water, bring to a boil then reduce to low heat and simmer for 1 hour and 45 minutes (for pressure cooker, leave on high heat and cook for 20 minutes)
8. Finish off with fresh herbs
9. Serve and enjoy!

Christmas Pigeon Peas Recipe by Baidawi – Watch The Video