kardis, kadyos, pigeon peas

Dinengdeng a kardis with saluyot. [Photo from Sikat ang Camiling]

Kardis (kadyos, pigeon pea, also called "pusi" in Ilocos region when dried), is an important vegetable legume all throughout the Philippines, in either its young pod or its dried seeds.It is the "K" in the popular KBL dish in the Visayas, the kadyos-baboy-langka combination of a dish of boiled pork knuckles and/or hocks. Ilokanos simply make the young pods and seeds into a dinengdeng with leafy greens or other legumes. The pusi is also simply boiled (pinablad) with meat or dried fish, like balatong or other beans.

Kardis "tree."

Freshly harvested kardis pods.

Picking the young seeds out. Tender kardis fruit is also edible and makes good dinengdeng ingredient together with the seeds.

The peas.

Dinengdengs with kardis.

And of course, pinakbet with kardis.

The famous KBL of Iloilo. [Photo from Flavours of Iloilo]

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