“That should spice things up.”
Shane Vandiver
Shane Vandiver
It’s time to let some spice into our lives. I have a spring in my step as I carry along finger-licking good ‘Indian Chicken Wings’ to celebrate summer and have a ‘Virtual Bloggers Dinner’ for Monica Bhide’s new cookbook, Modern Spice. The recipe from her book is a brilliant twist to the great American classic, where Monica uses a cream marinade, instead of a yogurt-based marinade which is conventionally used in Indian cooking. Be forewarned, the marinade is so good & irresistible on its own, that you can almost serve it as a tangy dip! Having kept away from wings as they are usually served deep fried, this is a refreshing new take! Indian Chicken Wings is a keeper of a recipe, so well worth stocking up spice jars for.”
Mark Bittman has written the introduction to her gorgeous new book, her third so far, & it is creating quite a rage. Taking Indian cooking to dizzying new heights, with this book Monica reignites a passion for Indian cuisine made easy at home. An easy way to use Indian spices in cooking, breaking away from tradition when required, & yet, managing to keep the connection going. It’s a bold book, an exciting look at fusion cuisine, & with good timing. The book arrives at a time when food bloggers are cooking up a storm. It’s time to get the ‘perfect pantry’ together and incorporate a lot of fun food into your meals. 
I bumped into Monica quite by chance. My first introduction to her was through my friend Chris Walker of Mostly Food Journal, who had done a review of the book a while ago, & sent me a link in April ’09. Next read about Modern Spice in Heidi’s post on 101 Cookbooks when she made Chili Pea Puffs from the book. Maybe our paths were meant to cross, because a few days later I ran into an urgent tweet from Jaden of Steamy Kitchen asking anyone for the correct pronunciation of Monica Bhide as she was going in for a recording in 10 minutes. Twitter continued to surprise me, & I intercepted Monica’s tweet about the virtual party to see if anyone else wanted to join. I’m always game, so I tweeted right back. We exchanged a couple of mails, and here I am. Monica’s a wonderful, warm person & will be visiting India later this year. 
In the meantime, onto the finger-licking good appetizer that I’ve chosen to carry to the party. Indian Chicken Wings! How yum does that sound? I think it’s a brilliant twist to the great American classic! Indian chicken wing recipes are few & far between, and this one is different because of the marinade. 
This recipeis on it’s way to Marla & Dara to “Get Grillin’ with Family Fresh Cooking and Cookin’ Canuck, sponsored by Ile de France Cheese, Rösle, Emile Henry, Rouxbe and ManPans.”
INDIAN CHICKEN WINGS
Here’s an American classic with a twist. These grilled wings provide all the flavor yet are healthier than their deep-fried cousins. I make these in bulk, as they freeze well. When you are ready, just throw them on the grill and get ready to party.
Reprinted with permission from Modern Spice: Inspired Indian Flavors for the Contemporary Kitchen by Monica Bhide. (Simon & Schuster, 2009)
Serves 6 to 8
Prep/Cook time: about 25 minutes, plus 3 hours marination
Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon store-bought ginger-garlic paste
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons red chile flakes
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 ½ teaspoons dried fenugreek leaves, crushed
1 teaspoon dried mango powder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 ½ teaspoons table salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 ½ pounds chicken wings (about 20 wings), tips cut off
Nonstick cooking spray
Store-bought chaat masala for garnish
1. In a large bowl, combine the cream, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, cumin, coriander, chile flakes, lemon juice, fenugreek, mango powder, vegetable oil, salt, and pepper.
2. Add the chicken wings and toss to thoroughly coat them. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 3 hours.
3. Turn on the broiler to high. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray it lightly.
4. Place the wings on the baking sheet. Pour any remaining marinade on top of the wings.
5. Broil the wings about 4 inches from the heat until cooked through, about 12 minutes on each side or until they begin to brown well. Turn the wings once.
6. Serve sprinkled with chaat masala.
Reprinted with permission from Modern Spice: Inspired Indian Flavors for the Contemporary Kitchen by Monica Bhide. (Simon & Schuster, 2009)
Serves 6 to 8
Prep/Cook time: about 25 minutes, plus 3 hours marination
Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon store-bought ginger-garlic paste
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons red chile flakes
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 ½ teaspoons dried fenugreek leaves, crushed
1 teaspoon dried mango powder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 ½ teaspoons table salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 ½ pounds chicken wings (about 20 wings), tips cut off
Nonstick cooking spray
Store-bought chaat masala for garnish
1. In a large bowl, combine the cream, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, cumin, coriander, chile flakes, lemon juice, fenugreek, mango powder, vegetable oil, salt, and pepper.
2. Add the chicken wings and toss to thoroughly coat them. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 3 hours.
3. Turn on the broiler to high. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray it lightly.
4. Place the wings on the baking sheet. Pour any remaining marinade on top of the wings.
5. Broil the wings about 4 inches from the heat until cooked through, about 12 minutes on each side or until they begin to brown well. Turn the wings once.
6. Serve sprinkled with chaat masala.