Pinto beans are a variety of common beans and can be used as a substitute for pigeon peas.  Pigeon peas, commonly known as toor dal or arhar dal in Indian cuisine, are a species of legume. They have a strong, nutty flavor and are often used in curries and other dishes.   Pinto beans have a similar flavor to pigeon peas but are not as strong. When substituting pinto beans for pigeon peas, you may want to add some additional spices to your dish to help compensate for the difference in flavor.