Chicken wings part 2. My routine grocery shopping spree, and the number one item on my list of ‘things to buy’, no guessing this one – chicken wings. It’s my new poultry flavour of my kitchen and I can very confidently say that I can devise a thousand and one ways to experiment flavours and oven-grill it!:-) Summer is still going strong and the days are still long, and I hope to grill it on our outdoor barbecue grill one evening. Well, that’s another story and another blog post to ponder about, so I will leave that for now and move on to this delicious recipe I created….
In a nutshell, his recipe is about…hmmm..say, the chicken wings gone on holiday to a spice island in the tropics. And returned straight back to my dining table, ready to be devoured by three hungry souls, well, me and my family 🙂 Cinnamon, coconut, pineapple, curry powder, lemon juice and green onions aka scallions or spring onion. I like to add curry powder since it’s got all the spices possible, a bit of everything and marries very well with coconut milk. A little fresh pineapple, to give it that hint of sweetness, not overpowering, but just substantial to balance the spice and lemon juice. Cinnamon, true cinnamon from my recent trip to Sri Lanka, where I actually learnt and saw how it is made, and how it differs from its close cousin, cassia. It is very similar to the Mexican cinnamon, I always buy from the Mexican spice store here at the Ferry Building, in terms of its texture and taste. I use a lot of cinnamon in my cooking, especially curries and traditional Indian fare, and in this recipe too, it marries very well with the other aromatics and flavourings.
And let me not forget to add, I did not use any oil. Nope, not in the marination or grilling process. Just a tad bit to grease my baking sheet. The wings release enough fat of their own in the oven, so be it. So there you have it folks, an easy and delicious way to make lip-smacking and juicy chicken wings. Caution : No cutlery needed, only your fingers!:-)
Servings 4-6
Ingredients :
12 chicken wings, with skins on
For the marinade :
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
3 garlic cloves
1 inch piece, ginger
2 stalks of green onions or scallions
1 Serrano chile. Deseeded, if one ideas not like too much heat.
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp. lime zest
1/4 cup fresh pineapple
1 large 2-3″ cinnamon stick
1 tsp hot madras curry powder
1/2 tsp. turmeric
Salt, to taste
Wash chicken wings and pat them dry very well.
For the marinade, add all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend to a smooth consistency.
Reserve a bit of the marinade for basting the chicken in the oven, later. Pour the remaining marinade over the wings and marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven at 425F. Arrange the marinated chicken wings on a foil lined baking sheet. I usually rub a little oil, so the wings don’t stick. Arrange the wings in a single layer. Pop them in the oven.
After 15 mins, brush on some of the leftover marinade on the chicken.
Roast for another 15 mins.
Turn the wings over, and brush on the remaining marinade. Roast till the wings are cooked and tender, and deep in color.
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