Overview

Grass pea (Lathyrus sativus) is a drought-tolerant legume grown for human consumption and livestock feed, primarily in South Asia, Ethiopia, and parts of the Mediterranean. The seeds are small, beige to gray-brown, and have a mild, nutty flavor when cooked. It is valued as an “insurance crop” because it produces reliable yields when other crops fail due to drought or flooding [1].

Origin and history

Grass pea is one of the oldest cultivated legumes, with archaeological evidence of its use dating back to the Neolithic period in the Balkans and the Indian subcontinent [2]. It was widely grown in ancient Greece and Rome, both for food and fodder. The crop spread across Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, and later to East Africa, where it became a staple in Ethiopia and Eritrea [2]. Its reputation is complicated by the presence of a neurotoxin, beta-ODAP, which can cause lathyrism, a paralytic disease, when grass pea is consumed as a near-exclusive diet during famine [1]. This has led to both its promotion as a famine-resilient crop and its restriction in some countries.

Varieties and aliases

  • Khesari (Hindi, Bengali)
  • Kesari dhal (India)
  • Guaya (Ethiopia)
  • Sebere (Eritrea)
  • Chickling vetch (English)
  • Almorta (Spanish)
  • Cicerchia (Italian)
  • Gesse (French)

Culinary uses

Grass pea seeds are typically dried and split into a dal, then boiled into a porridge or soup. In India, khesari dal is cooked with turmeric and spices, often served with rice or flatbread. In Ethiopia, the seeds are ground into flour and used to make shiro, a thick stew, or fermented into a local bread. The young pods and leaves are also edible and are cooked as a green vegetable in some regions [1]. The flour is sometimes blended with wheat or other legume flours to extend bread or pasta.

Cross-cuisine context

Grass pea has no direct analogue in Mexican cuisine. Its closest functional parallel is the role of drought-tolerant legumes like tepary beans (Phaseolus acutifolius) in the arid regions of northern Mexico and the Southwestern United States. Both crops are small, hardy legumes that sustain communities when more common beans fail. In the broader LA-relevant corpus, grass pea resembles the use of lentils in Indian and Persian cooking, though lentils lack the neurotoxin risk. In Ethiopian cuisine, grass pea flour functions similarly to chickpea flour (besan) in Indian cooking, used for stews and flatbreads.

Notes for cooks

  • Grass pea contains the neurotoxin beta-ODAP. Prolonged consumption as a dietary staple can cause lathyrism. Soaking, boiling, and discarding the cooking water reduces toxin levels but does not eliminate them entirely [2].
  • The dried seeds require soaking for several hours before cooking, similar to chickpeas or whole lentils.
  • The flour has a distinct, slightly bitter taste. It is often blended with other flours to improve palatability and reduce toxin concentration.