Pigeons (recipe name not given)

Ingredients

• 2 whole pigeons Pigeons (Good-sized and plump; ask your butcher to clean and pluck them if needed. Squab (young pigeon) from a specialty butcher is a good modern substitute.)
• 1 cup (240 ml) Soy sauce (shoyu) (The original calls for 'syou sauce', which is shoyu — Japanese-style soy sauce. Use a good-quality Japanese soy sauce such as Kikkoman.)
• 0.5 cup (120 ml) Mirin or dry sherry (Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice wine available in Asian grocery stores. Dry sherry is a widely available substitute, as suggested in the original recipe.)
• 1 tablespoon White sugar
• 1 small onion Small onion (Any standard yellow or white onion will work.)
• 2 tablespoons Kudzu starch (kuzu starch) (Kudzu starch (also spelled kuzu) is available in health food stores and Asian supermarkets. It creates a smooth, glossy sauce. Cornstarch is a widely available substitute in equal quantity.)
• 0.25 pound (115 g) Fat fresh pork (Use fatty pork belly or pork fatback, cut into small chunks. The fat is rendered out to create the cooking fat for browning the pigeons.)
• 12 whole water chestnuts Water chestnuts (Fresh water chestnuts from an Asian grocery store are ideal. Canned water chestnuts, drained and rinsed, are a widely available alternative.)
• 0.25 pound (115 g) Bamboo shoots (Canned bamboo shoots, drained and rinsed, work well and are widely available. Fresh bamboo shoots require pre-boiling before use.)
• 1 to taste Salt (Used both for rubbing the pigeons before cooking and for seasoning the sauce. Note that soy sauce is already quite salty, so add cautiously.)
• 1 to taste Black pepper (Freshly ground black pepper is recommended.)

Instructions

1. 1If your pigeons are not already cleaned by the butcher, remove any remaining pin feathers by passing the bird briefly over a gas flame or a lit match (this is called singeing) — this burns off any tiny feathers left on the skin. Rinse the pigeons thoroughly inside and out under cold running water, then pat them completely dry with paper towels. Rub the entire surface of each pigeon generously with salt, including inside the cavity. Set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.
2. 2Wash the water chestnuts well under cold water. If using fresh, peel them; if using canned, simply drain and rinse. Slice them into thin rounds about 3 mm (⅛ inch) thick. Cut the bamboo shoots into thin strips roughly the size of matchsticks. Peel and finely chop the onion into very small pieces. Set all the prepared vegetables aside in separate small bowls so they are ready to add to the pan.
3. 3Place the fat fresh pork pieces into a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Allow the fat to slowly render (melt out) from the pork, stirring occasionally, until the pork pieces are golden and most of the fat has been released into the pan. This should take about 8–10 minutes. The rendered fat in the pan is what you will use to brown the pigeons. If there are any small solid pork pieces left, you may leave them in the pan — they will add flavour during braising.
4. 4Increase the heat to medium-high. When the rendered fat in the pan is very hot and shimmering (but not smoking), carefully place the salted pigeons into the pan breast-side down. Brown them on all sides, turning them with tongs or two spoons, until the skin is a rich golden-brown all over. This should take about 8–10 minutes total. Browning creates deep flavour, so take your time and don't rush this step. The fat will be very hot, so be careful of splashing.
5. 5Reduce the heat to low. Add the finely chopped onion, sliced water chestnuts, and bamboo shoot strips to the pan around and between the pigeons. Pour in the soy sauce and add the sugar. Season with a little salt (remembering the soy sauce is already salty) and pepper. Stir everything gently to combine. Place a tight-fitting lid on the saucepan — if your lid is not very tight, place a sheet of foil over the pan before putting the lid on to trap all the steam and moisture inside. Simmer over a very low, gentle heat for one full hour. Check occasionally to ensure the liquid has not evaporated; if the pan looks dry, add a very small splash of water.
6. 6After the pigeons have simmered for one hour and are tender, remove the lid carefully (steam will escape, so tilt the lid away from you). Pour in the mirin or dry sherry. Stir gently to incorporate it into the cooking juices. The mirin or sherry adds a gentle sweetness and depth to the sauce at this final stage.
7. 7In a small bowl or cup, combine the kudzu starch with about 3–4 tablespoons of cold water and stir well until the starch is fully dissolved with no lumps — this is called a slurry. Make sure the water is cold, as warm water will cause the starch to clump. With the pan still on low heat and the sauce gently bubbling, slowly pour the kudzu slurry into the pan while stirring constantly with a spoon. Continue to stir for 1–2 minutes until the sauce becomes noticeably thicker and glossy. It should coat the back of a spoon. If the sauce thickens too much, add a small splash of water to loosen it.
8. 8Carefully transfer the pigeons to a serving plate or shallow bowl. Spoon the thickened sauce, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots generously over the top of the pigeons. Serve immediately alongside steamed white rice, which will soak up the rich, glossy sauce beautifully.