There are small insects that love pigeon peas. I grow a bush version both the ground and in pots but must keep an eye on the pods for holes to know if the bugs got into them. Certain times of the year, I can lose the entire harvest. This fall, winter, and spring have been great for my pigeon peas. This bush version can take quite a hair cut when the get leggy and usually produce at least a second time before dying off.
Watch the pods for the color change right before they turn dark brown and harvest then. Most of them will contain peas that are not dried or fully dried. Personally I let the pods dry on the counter so they are easier to open, then collect all the peas, if needed I dry them more on the counter, then bag and freeze them for a few days before adding to my storage jar. This prevents hidden insects from chowing down inside my jar of peas without my knowledge.
My favorite recipe for pigeon peas is to add them to rice. Using a large, wide pot, soak long grain rice with pigeon peas before cooking. Add a bit more water than the volume of rice and peas. Example: 1/2 cup pigeon peas, 3/4 cup rice, a bit more than 1-1/4 cup water. Soak for at least an hour but I have soaked for 6 hours too. Bring to a boil. If there is not enough water to do this, add just enough to bring to a boil. Cover and do not open until you serve rice. Turn heat down to simmer for 15 minutes then turn off heat completely and allow pan to sit on the warm burner for at least 20 minutes. This works great when you are not sure when you will be eating dinner. Last night it sat for 2 hours while I waited for my husband to wake up. He likes his rice/pigeon peas with any kind of sauce. My favorite is to add lentils to the pea/rice mix then after cooking stir in hot taco sauce and cheese.
