Pigeon Onion Roast

Ingredients

• 2 (cleaned, skin on) pigeon, dressed (புறா)
• 100 g shallots, peeled, whole (சின்ன வெங்காயம்)
• 2 tomatoes, chopped (தக்காளி)
• half a coconut, grated fresh coconut, grated (தேங்காய்)
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste (இஞ்சி பூண்டு விழுது)
• 1/2 tbsp garam masala (கரம் மசாலா)
• 1 tbsp red chilli powder (மிளகாய் தூள்)
• 1 tbsp black pepper powder (மிளகு தூள்)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder (மஞ்சள் தூள்)
• 2 green chillies (பச்சை மிளகாய்)
• as needed rock salt, mustard seeds, curry leaves
• for tempering (about 1 tbsp) coconut oil (தேங்காய் எண்ணெய்)
• 1 tbsp ghee (நெய்)

Method

1. Peel the shallots and keep them whole; chop the tomatoes.
2. Heat coconut oil in a pressure cooker, crackle mustard seeds, then fry the shallots until golden. Add one tomato and cook 2 minutes.
3. Stir in ginger-garlic paste briefly, then the garam masala, chilli powder, turmeric and salt; fry until the masala thickens.
4. Add the pigeons, coat them in the masala for about 5 minutes, add water to come three-quarters up, and pressure-cook until tender (about 5 whistles).
5. Open, mash the shallots into the gravy with a spoon and cook off the liquid.
6. In a tablespoon of ghee, add the remaining tomato, green chillies, grated coconut and curry leaves; toss with the pigeons and finish with pepper powder until dry.

Adapted from பேலியோ ஆரோக்கிய சமையல் (Paleo Arokkiya Samaiyal) by Rtn Kannan Azhagirisamy, page 2. Method rewritten in our own words; ingredient quantities follow the book, with gram weights estimated for the nutrition figures. The book thanks the Arokkiya Unavugal (Healthy Foods) Facebook group and tamilpaleorecipes.com.