Jamaican Curry Gungo Peas (Curry Pigeon Peas)

Delicious tasty curried gungo peas with a medley of healthy nutritional vegetables.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Jamaican

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 272kcal

Author Charla

2 can of gungo peas drained (or use 1 cup of dried gungo peas already cooked)
1 pack of butternut squash noodles or spiralise 1 butternut into noodles (see post)
1 large carrot chopped
1 red bell pepper sliced
1 green bell pepper sliced
1 cho cho christophene/chayote peeled and chopped
½ cup of mushroom halved (optional)
1 can of coconut milk (2 cups/14oz)
1-2 tablespoon of curry powder see post for link
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 inch of ginger grated
1 onion chopped
2 scallion sliced
4 garlic cloves minced
2 tablespoon of tomato puree
1 teaspoon of pink salt use more if desired (to taste)
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoon coconut oil
¼ scotch bonnet (or to spice preference) or ¼ of chilli flakes/powder

Skip to step 3 if you aren't making the noodles. Peel the butternut squash and cut off the bulbous end (you won't be needing that bit).
Cut the other end of the butternut squash in half.
Fix each piece onto the spiraliser and turn to create noodles.
On medium heat, add the oil and saute the onion, garlic, scallion and ginger until soft and translucent.
Add the carrots, mushroom, cho cho and bell peppers, stir and cook for 5 minutes.
Season the vegetables with the tomato paste, curry powder, paprika, thyme, chilli/scotch bonnet, black pepper and pink salt.
Add the gungo peas and pour in the coconut milk.
Bring the pan to a rolling boil then reduce, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the curry thickens.
As the curry is cooking bring a pan of water to the boil and add the butternut squash noodles.
Add a splash of oil to the pan and additional mild seasoning - pink salt, ground onion/pepper etc..
Cook the noodles for 10 minutes or until they begin to soften.
Once cooked, drain off the noodles and serve with the curry (remember to taste test and adjust seasoning i.e pink salt, black pepper etc.. accordingly).

If you cannot find cho cho, chayote or a christophine, zucchini/courgettes are a viable substitute. I have used it many times with no problems.
For the Curry powder use my Homemade Jamaican Curry Powder if you want to.
Gungo peas are the mature version of pigeon peas, either will work for the recipe!
You can leave the curry to simmer for longer than the recommended time if you want the vegetables and peas to break down.
I highly recommend using a spiralizer if you making your own noodles with butternut squash
Feel free to chop/slice and/or peel any vegetables ahead of time to make the preparation quicker.
If you are using canned peas, make sure they are in water only and not salt water due to the high levels of sodium.
Dried peas can be cooked a head of time in a pressure/cooker to save time.