Pigeon

Anyone who knows me well knows that I would not be visiting in Egypt unless I was sure that I was going to love Egyptian food. And guess what? I do! It is just as greasy, salty, meaty and hearty as I thought it was going to be. I haven't put a single bite in my mouth that I did not savor. 

To be clear, there is American food everywhere. On my small residential block alone, there is a Cinnabon, a Pizza Hut, a McDonalds, a Hardee's, and what looks like a higher class of American-style restaurant. There are also several shisha joints which serve more traditional Egyptian fare, and a couple of stands that are more for a lunch-time crowd, and are fast food, but are decidedly Egyptian (but you can get a burger if you want). American food is fine, and I have had an acceptable burger, and a pizza from Pizza Hut. I also love hummos, but hummos is not traditionally Egyptian. It still is delicious; it is better than any hummos I have had in the states. They make it with olive oil and mix in a few veggies. Mixed with some warm and soft pitas, the hummos alone is worth the trip.

A more traditional dish that I have enjoyed several times is the shish tawook. It is marinated chicken, grilled on a kabab, then either served with rice and veggies, or in a sandwich with peppers and onions. The meat tastes fresh and juicy, and the bread or the rice always seems to be high quality. It is already one of my favorites. Another traditional Egyptian dish is kofta. Kofta is delicious dry sausage. The first night I was here I attended a reception to celebrate the opening of the Dominican embassy, and a man I met that evening told me that it was beef mixed with camel meat. It is a little less salty than real beef, but the camel gives it a nicer texture, and holds the beef together. Dipped in some real tahini sauce, the kofta is a treat.

The highlight of my Egyptian dining experience thus far, though, has been the pigeon. We went shopping in a bazaar in the downtown area, and stopped in what is apparently the best place for stuffed pigeon in Cairo. It is pretty much a nook in the side of an alley. There are a few tables inside and a few outside. Stray cats are all around, and there is no menu. To start with, they bring you a bottle of water to drink, and glasses of pigeon soup. With a little salt and some lemon, it tastes tart and gamey, and its warmth spreads through the whole body. Then they bring you a salad, some pita and tahini, and a plate of kofta, and finally, we each got a stuffed pigeon. The cooked bird looks about like you would think a stuffed pigeon would look like. I stuck my fork in to try and pick it apart, and it is immediately clear that there really isn't any meat on the bird. The skin is tight and the meat is stringy, but as I pulled it apart, I saw that it's cavities were filled with brown rice. There is a lot of rice, and it is savory, juicy, and delicious. The more adventurous among us went for the skin, meat, and even organs of the bird, but I stopped with the rice. However gross it may sound, the meal was very satisfying, and very delicious. 

I look forward to exploring Egyptian cuisine, and even trying my hand at cooking. However, I don't think I will ever replicate the shock when I saw a stuffed pigeon placed in front of my on a dinner table, and the surprise and happiness that ensued when I consumed it.