Curry Grouse Roti

By Liz Lynch
Instagram: @lizdigsdirt

Serves: 12
Prep time: 30 minutes
Resting time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 4 1/2 hours

Ingredients

• 2 pounds sage and/or sharp-tailed grouse breast meat
• Curry powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 1 teaspoon coriander seed
• 1 teaspoon mustard seed
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mace
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Medium yellow onion, chopped
• Fresh ginger, about 3” long, minced
• 6 to 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can unsweetened coconut milk
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 Yukon gold potatoes, cubed in 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 of a 15-ounce can garbanzo beans
• 1/2 of a 15-ounce can sweet green peas
• Optional: 1 habanero or Scotch bonnet pepper or other hot pepper of your choice
• Flour

Instructions

1. Thaw the bird meat. Cut into 1-2” pieces. Using gloves, coat meat with the curry powder and mix well. (Turmeric will stain so make sure you wear gloves). Cover and refrigerate.
2. Mix the cumin seed, coriander seed, mustard seed, and fenugreek. Toast the whole spices together over low heat, stirring or swirling constantly. Pay attention to the changing fragrance. When the spices are beginning to smoke slightly, remove from heat. Let cool. Grind into a powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle; a finer consistency is better but not necessary.
3. Add the turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, and white pepper to the spice mix.
4. Heat the vegetable oil in the Instant Pot, set to the Sauté (Low) mode.
5. Add the onion and let sauté for 5-10 minutes, until the pieces appear translucent.
6. Add the ginger and garlic. Cook 5-10 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté (High) mode. Add the grouse meat. Cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
8. Add unsweetened coconut milk and chicken broth and stir well. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then change the Instant Pot to Slow Cook (Medium) mode.
9. Add 1/2 of the spice mix; reserve the rest to add to-taste later. Stir well and cover the Instant Pot with the lid, which should be venting, not sealing. Cook for 2 hours.
10. Taste a piece of the meat to test the flavor. Add more of the spice mix as desired. I typically use a total of 3/4 of the spice mix. Let cook for 1 more hour with the lid on.
11. Remove lid to add the potatoes, garbanzo beans, and peas. If you are adding hot peppers, mince them (with gloves on) and add them now. Mix well. Let cook with lid on, venting, for another hour.
12. Check the potatoes for doneness: if they are fork-tender, you can set the Instant Pot to “keep warm.”
13. Using a ladle, scoop out some of the excess liquid and move it to a separate pot. Using your hand, gently sift flour into the liquid, while using the other hand to stir with a whisk or fork. This will help thicken the liquid so it’s a more manageable filler for the roti.
14. Make the roti (see Food Charlatan recipe). Use the ladle to scoop up then drain the vegetable and meat mixture. Place the filling in the center of a roti. Add the thickened liquid from the other pot on top of the vegetable and meat mixture. Fold up the roti around the filling. Pick up and enjoy!