Tamarind Chilli Palm Sugar Chicken Wings with Mint
Tamarind paste, palm sugar, chilli, ginger and mint give these BBQ chicken wings a sour-sweet glaze with real snap. They’re sticky without feeling heavy, making them ideal with cucumber salad, rice or crisp slaw.
Ingredients
Chicken Wings
- 1.2 kg chicken wings split into flats and drumettes
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 1½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp white pepper
Tamarind Chilli Palm Sugar Glaze
- 75 g tamarind paste
- 55 g palm sugar finely chopped or grated
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 red chilli finely chopped
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 2 garlic cloves grated
- 12 g fresh ginger grated
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander optional
Instructions
Season the Wings and Let Them Dry
- Pat the wings dry with kitchen paper. Toss them with oil, salt, baking powder, cumin, ground coriander and white pepper.
- Set the wings on a rack and chill uncovered for 45 minutes. The spices stay subtle, but they give the chicken a warm base under the sour tamarind glaze.
Build the Tamarind Glaze
- Put the tamarind paste, palm sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, chopped chilli, chilli flakes, garlic, ginger and water into a small pan.
- Warm gently, stirring until the palm sugar melts. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes until glossy. Stir in the lime juice at the end, then taste. It should be tangy, salty, sweet and warm.
Prepare the BBQ
- Set up the BBQ for two-zone cooking. Aim for 180°C to 200°C on the indirect side.
- Clean the grate and oil it lightly. Tamarind glaze sticks beautifully to chicken, and rather less beautifully to dirty metal.
Cook the Wings Indirectly
- Place the wings on the cooler side of the BBQ. Close the lid and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once or twice.
- The wings should look dry and lightly coloured, with an internal temperature of at least 74°C. I prefer taking them closer to 80°C so the skin has more bite.
Glaze and Tighten
- Brush the wings with a thin layer of tamarind chilli glaze. Move them nearer the heat and turn every minute.
- Brush again and keep turning for 4 to 6 minutes, until the glaze is sticky and lacquered. If the edges catch too quickly, move the wings back to indirect heat.
Finish with Fresh Mint
- Transfer the wings to a warm tray. Brush with a final thin coat of glaze.
- Scatter over chopped mint and coriander if using. Rest for 5 minutes before serving so the glaze firms up slightly and the herbs stay fresh.
Notes
Tamarind paste can vary a lot. Some jars are sharp and loose, while blocks of tamarind pulp need soaking and straining. For this recipe, I’m using ready-to-spoon tamarind paste. If yours is very concentrated, start with 55g, taste the glaze, then add more. The glaze should make your mouth water, not make your jaw panic.
Palm sugar gives a softer sweetness than white sugar. Grate it or chop it finely so it melts quickly. Fish sauce adds savoury depth, but it shouldn’t taste fishy once cooked. If you don’t use fish sauce, add another teaspoon of soy sauce and a pinch more salt, though you’ll lose a bit of that savoury background.
Nutrition
Calories: 506kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 33gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 142mgSodium: 1080mgPotassium: 520mgFiber: 2gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 680IUCalcium: 74mgIron: 2.8mg
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