Hola Reader

Today I would like to talk about one of Puerto Rico's most beloved legumes, the pigeon pea or Gandul (Cajanus cajan). 🫘

The Gandul grows from December to May, and because its peak season begins in December, it is associated with festivities and Christmas, and it is used in our favorite Christmas and national side dish, Arroz con Gandules. A gandul or pigeon pea is a small greenish-brown, sometimes purple pea. It is bigger than a lentil and smaller than a bean, and quite easy to cultivate.

But here's what makes gandules so special to us. They're not just food, they're family and sustainability. 🌱

Think about it: when was the last time you went to a Christmas celebration without arroz con gandules on the table? 🎄 Exactly. It doesn't happen. That's because somewhere along the way, this little legume became part of the Puerto Rican identity. 🇵🇷 It became the thing that says "home" no matter where in the world you are.

What I find fascinating is that gandules aren't originally from Puerto Rico or even the Caribbean. 🌍 They traveled here from West Africa (where they're called Congo pea, Angola pea, or Mbaazi) centuries ago during colonial times. But like so many things in our culture, we took something from elsewhere and made it completely ours. We wove it into our traditions so tightly that now it's impossible to imagine Puerto Rican cuisine without it.

And here's where gandules get even better - they're sustainable champions. 💪 The plant fixes nitrogen in the soil, meaning it actually improves the earth while it grows. It's drought-resistant, thrives in poor soil, and every part of the plant serves a purpose. In other countries, the leaves are used to make medicinal teas 🤧 (traditional medicine uses them for everything from diabetes to bronchitis), the roots enrich the soil, and the seeds feed us. Here in Puerto Rico, we focus primarily on the seeds, though some traditional knowledge about the plant's other uses may have been preserved in certain communities. It's a plant that gives back.

Every family has their own gandules story, their own way of preparing them. Some use fresh gandules when they can get them, others swear by the canned version for convenience. There are heated debates about what else goes in the pot – calabaza or no calabaza? Olives? How much sofrito is too much sofrito? (Trick question – there's no such thing.)

When I was a kid, I remember going out to the backyard with my mom to pick gandules, then sitting in front of the TV with my mom, grandmother, and sister to shell them while watching novelas. 📺 There was something almost meditative about it - the rhythm of popping open the pods, the pile of peas growing in the bowl, the drama unfolding on screen. I used to pop them in my mouth and eat them raw. The flavor was fresh, fragrant, and flowery.

💬 What are your gandules traditions? I'd love to hear how your family makes them special.

Next week I’ll share a quick kitchen tip you can put to use right away.

Hasta entonces!

Zoé

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