Hamam Mahshi

Rinse the Pigeon well, pat dry, and season generously inside and out with Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper.

Place the Green Freekeh in a sieve, rinse under cold water until the water runs clear, then drain and set aside.

Chop the Onion finely and mince the Pigeon Livers and Hearts. Heat a couple of tablespoons of Ghee in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion until soft and translucent.

Add the minced giblets to the onion and cook until they lose their raw color, then stir in Ground Allspice, Ground Cumin, Ground Coriander and Ground Cinnamon and cook for another minute to bloom the spices.

Add the drained freekeh to the pan, toss to coat in the spiced ghee, then pour in about 1 cup of Water (adjust as needed) and simmer gently until the freekeh has absorbed most of the liquid and is just tender — it should remain slightly undercooked so it finishes cooking inside the bird.

Taste the stuffing and adjust seasoning with more Salt or pepper if needed. Let the mix cool slightly so it is easier to handle.

Loosely fill each seasoned Pigeon cavity with the freekeh mixture (do not overstuff), then truss or skewer the openings to seal.

In a wide, heavy pot, heat another tablespoon of Ghee over medium-high heat and brown the stuffed pigeons on all sides to develop color and flavor.

Pour enough Water into the pot to come about halfway up the birds, add a couple of Bay Leaves and a few lightly crushed Cardamom pods, bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook gently for 45–60 minutes until the pigeons are tender and cooked through, basting occasionally with the cooking liquid.

Carefully remove the birds, let them rest for a few minutes, then serve hot with spoonfuls of the spiced jus. Adjust final seasoning with Salt if desired and enjoy with rice or warm bread.