Goan Cafreal Chicken Wings

Chicken wings are marinated in a spicy and tangy sauce then grilled until charred and crispy. The sauce is also brilliantly versatile - try it as a marinade for fish, seafood or veg too.

30 minutes prep, 20 minutes cook

Serves 6

Ingredients

900g chicken wings, skin on or off

For the marinade:

60g coriander, roughly chopped

12 green bird’s eye chillies

1 generous tsp ground cumin

1 generous tsp ground coriander

1⁄2 tsp ground black pepper

1⁄2 tsp ground cinnamon

8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

2.5cm piece of ginger, roughly chopped

1⁄2 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp tamarind paste

2 tbsps coconut oil (optional)

Approx. 70ml white wine vinegar or coconut vinegar, for blending

Method

Put all the marinade ingredients apart from the vinegar into a blender. Blend, adding just enough vinegar to form a paste. Pour half of the paste over the wings and mix well to coat (keep the remaining marinade for later). Cover the chicken and put into the fridge, along with the reserved marinade, until ready to cook (you can do this the day before you want to cook).

When ready to cook, set up your barbecue for indirect heat cooking. If your barbecue has an inbuilt thermometer, you’re aiming for a cooking temperature of 180°C. Place a drip pan with a little water in it opposite the hot coals and arrange the chicken wings on a lightly greased cooking grill over the pan. (If using a ceramic barbecue, you do not need to use the drip pan with water.)

Cover and cook for 25 minutes, or until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 75°C. For the last 5 minutes or so of cooking, baste the chicken with the leftover marinade. Remember, you’re roasting on a barbecue here, so cooking times may vary. Cook to temperature, not time. These wings are amazing served as they are, but if you like a bit of char like I do, move them over to the hot side of the grill before serving and cook until charred and crispy.