Rice-stuffed roast pigeon (Hamam mahshi)

1. Wash the pigeons, pat dry inside and out and season with salt.

2. Rinse the rice; soften the finely chopped onion in half the butter until translucent, add the rice, cinnamon, allspice, salt and pepper, fry for 2 minutes, then cook with 300 ml water until half-cooked (about 8 minutes).

3. Stuff the pigeons loosely with the rice (it will still swell) and close the opening with a toothpick or kitchen string.

4. Bring the remaining water to the boil in a pan with a little salt, add the pigeons and simmer covered over low heat for 45-50 minutes until the meat is tender.

5. Remove the pigeons, pat dry, brush with the remaining melted butter and brown in a 220 °C oven (or in a frying pan) for 10-15 minutes until the skin is golden and crisp.

6. Serve the pigeons with the remaining rice and the cooking broth (as a soup).

Tip: Hamam mahshi is one of Egypt's most famous festive dishes and a speciality of Cairo's restaurants; it's traditionally also stuffed with freekeh (green wheat). If you can't find pigeon, make it the same way with quail or poussin (Cornish hen); adjust the cooking time to the size.