Egypt Hamam Mahshi (Stuffed Squab)

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Step 2

Chop the giblets finely and set them aside.

Step 3

Squeeze the lemon juice over the squabs, season them inside and out with salt and pepper and set aside.

Step 4

Heat the butter or oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium flame. Add the onions, chopped giblets and cinnamon, allspice and saute until the onions are cooked through and translucent.

Step 5

Drain the freekeh or bulgur and squeeze out any extra moisture. Stir the freekeh or bulgur and the mint, parsley and salt and pepper into the onions.

Step 6

Remove from heat and stuff about 1/4 cup of the cracked wheat mixture into each squab. Set the remaining cracked wheat mixture aside.

Step 7

Sew the body cavity of each squab closed with a trussing needle and tie the legs together. Place the squabs, breast-side up in a large casserole dish or ovenproof pot.

Step 8

Pour 2 cups of the chicken stock over them and cover tightly with a lid or aluminum foil.

Step 9

Place the dish in the oven and braise for about 1 1/2 hours. Baste with the braising juices once or twice during this time.

Step 10

About 1/2 hour before you remove the squabs from the oven, bring the remaining chicken stock to a boil in a saucepan.

Step 11

Stir in the remaining cracked wheat mixture, cover tightly and reduce heat to low.

Step 12

Simmer for about 20 minutes, then remove from heat and let rest for about 10 minutes.

Step 13

When the birds are done braising either put them under the broiler to crisp up the skin or put them quickly in a deep fryer to do the same.

Step 14

To serve, fluff the reserved crack wheat with a fork and spread it over a heated serving platter. Remove the squabs from the oven and remove the trussing strings. Place the squabs neatly on the bed of cracked wheat and pour any braising juices over the squabs and wheat. Serve immediately.

Step 15

Hamam Mahshi Variations

Step 16

Stuffing Variations: Stir 1/2 cup of soaked and drained currants and/or 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts into the stuffing mixture for a fancier dish. Stir in a pinch of ground allspice, cloves or cardamom.

Step 17

Farrouj Mahshi (Stuffed chicken): Use 2 small (2-pound) chickens instead of squab and stuff each with 1/2 cup of the stuffing mixture. You may have to braised a bit longer to cook the chicken all the way through.