Cowpea

Description

Cowpeas were considered sacred by the Hausa and Yoruba ethnic groups of Nigeria and were used to ward off evil and cure sick children. In the southeastern United States, the black-eyed variety are cooked with ham or salt pork and served with rice and greens on New Year’s Day. The dish is called ‘Hoppin John’ and is said to bring good luck in the coming year.

Uses

Cowpeas contain around 25% protein and are low in fat. As with most legumes, they are poor in some of the sulphur-containing amino acids needed for a complete protein; however, the amino acids in cowpeas are complemented by those found in cereal grains. They are also an excellent source of fibre, calcium, folic acid and vitamin A.

Cowpeas are a major food staple in many parts of Africa where every part of the plant is eaten. Green seeds are roasted and used like peanuts. Dried seeds may be boiled and used in soups or stews, or ground and made into cakes. Scorched seeds are sometimes used as a coffee substitute. Immature pods are steamed or boiled and eaten whole. The green leaves are boiled and eaten like spinach, while in parts of Sudan and Ethiopia the roots are roasted and eaten.

One variety, called the ‘yard long bean,’ has been used in China since prehistoric times. The extremely long pods are picked young and steamed or stir-fried. Cowpeas are drought tolerant and will grow on poor soils, so they are good for use as green manure to help enrich the soil with nitrogen. They are often planted together with sorghum, millet or maize, or used in crop rotation with cereals. They also provide high-protein pasturage for pigs and cattle, as well as hay and silage (usually mixed with corn or sorghum).