Pigeon Cooked with Chettinad Spices

Another solid, simple Indian dish from Atul Kochhar's Simple Indian cookbook. I couldn't get my hands on pigeon, so I used guinea fowl instead and it was just fine. Really delicate spices here with a nice citrusy hit from the orange and zest.

PIGEON:
2 wood pigeons, cleaned (liver reserved)
grated zest and juice of 1 orange
2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon salt

TOASTED SPICE POWDER:
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 star anise
5 green cardamom pods
2 cloves
2.5cm cassia bark or cinnamon stick

TO COOK:
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
10 curry leaves
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves

Joint each pigeon into 4 pieces (2 legs and 2 breasts with wing bones attached) and remove the skin. Put the pigeon pieces in a shallow dish.

Mix together the orange juice, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric and salt, then spoon over the pigeon pieces and turn to coat all over. Set aside to marinate in a cool place for at least 30 minutes. (Reserve the orange zest for the garnish.)

In the meantime, prepare the toasted spice powder. Dry-fry the spices in a heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes until they crackle, shaking the pan constantly. Allow to cool, then grind to a powder, using a spice grinder, pestle and mortar or mini-processor. Set aside.

When ready to cook, heat the oil in a pan, add the curry leaves and saute for a minute or two, then add the sliced onions and fry until softened and golden brown in colour. Add the toasted spice powder, saute for a minute, then add the pigeon (including the liver) together with the marinade. Saute for a few minutes until the pigeon pieces are lightly browned. Add 250ml water and bring to a simmer. Cook slowly for about 45 minutes until the pigeon is tender.

Add the chopped coriander leaves and grated orange zest. Stir well and serve hot, with chapattis.