DUKKAH CHICKEN WINGS: Middle Eastern Style, with Spicy Tahini Sauce: prep ahead

A Middle Eastern twist on the classic chicken wings...

Golden, nutty and richly flavoured, wings with an Egyptian twist

67goingon50 has been reading about and seeing Dukkah in the shops for some time and has finally got around to testing it.

Dukkah is a warm, toasty, nutty mix of Egyptian/Middle Eastern herbs, spices and nuts. 

It's crumbly and a bit chunky; the savouriness is softened or heightened depending on the mix of ingredients.  Most have toasted nuts and seeds, coriander and cumin; others add heat with chilli flakes and rely for crunch on pine nuts or hazelnuts. 

The flavour is lovely and warm and the texture full of interest.  It offers a great change from the usual in-your-face 'hot' wings.

Usually the blog prefers to make its own spice mixes but with the cost of living crisis...well, it's actually much cheaper to buy a supermarket mix.  

There are plenty of Dukkah mixes around but 67goingon50 tested M&S's; 67 is a fan of their 'Cook With' blends. 

Dukkah cost £2 for 55g/2oz and contains around 10 ingredients.  Mixing your own would cost a great deal more.  And unless you're using it very frequently, it'll last a a while.

The usual way dukkah is served is on top of bread dipped in olive oil.  It's also used to coat meat and fish, or to scatter over dips, salads and roasted veg.

In this recipe, 67 mixes Dukkah with flour for a rich coating for chicken wings.  The meat is very tender and tasty and would please toddlers and older people.

It does involve prep the night before or hours ahead.  

The recipe would also work well with drumsticks. 

Cost: £2.50'ish

Makes: 12 whole wings or 22'ish winglets and drumbeats; recipe halves nicely for 2-3 people (in which case freeze half the cooked wings for another time)

Ingredients:

I large package chicken wings - usually 10-12

salt & pepper
at least 150gm plain yoghurt
juice half a lemon

2/3 cup plain flour
2 tbsp Dukkah

1 tsp cayenne

1 tsp sumac (or lemon zest)

1 tbsp salt

extra handful chopped nuts, eg macadamia, hazelnuts (opt)

Tahini Dressing

1/4 cup tahini

2 generous tbsp lemon/lime juice

1/2 tsp lemon/lime zest

with 1/2 tsp zest

1/2 tbsp olive oil (opt)
small clove garlic, grated
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sumac (opt)
1/8 tsp vegetable granules, dissolved in 3 tbsp warm water

1.5 tbsp fresh parsley

Blitz, add to serving bowl, drizzle over olive oil or sesame seeds for garnish

Method

1. If you like, separate wings into drumettes and wingettes; otherwise, leave whole; season with salt and pepper on both sides; pour into a freezer bag with the yoghurt & lemon juice; refrigerate overnight or several hours.  
2. OVEN: turn oven to 200c/400f, take wings out of the fridge: line a large baking tray with foil and add a baking rack 
3. Mix flour, dukka, cayenne, sumac (or lemon zest) and pepper
4. Dip drained wings into the flour, one by one; generously spray underside with light coating of oil, place oiled side up on the rack in the tray/air fryer, leaving a little space between
5. AIR FRYER: pre-set
6. Bake/air fry 10 mins if wings have been separated; 15 mins if wings are whole
7. Remove wings from oven/air fryer, turn them over so top is uppermost, spray generously again; change position of some wings to prevent over-browning
8. Bake/air fry a further 12-15 mins for winglets, 20'ish mins for whole wings 
9. Arrange on a serving platter with tahini dip, scatter over a little more dukkah or parsley stalks
10. The wings are terrific eaten warm or at room temperature 
11. Serve with plenty of crisp, dry lettuce leaves, halved baby tomatoes and thick slices of cucumber

*currently £1.30 for 11+wings at M&S

Comments: 

'The dukkah gives a lovely golden, nutty herby flavour redolent of Middle Eastern souks - in a good way.  The combo of nuts & seeds is very appealing and quite more'ish.  I had y doubts about the dip but it was gorgeous on the wings and the salad!'  Retired writer  

Tips:

• Make double the amount of dip you think you need; it'll be popular.
• Leftover dip makes a good dressing for felafels and sandwiches

Please leave a comment/question in the box below

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This recipe has been adapted  by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.