As written for The Nosher
What do I want in a wing? Something that is
crispy with a sauce that packs tons of flavor. Pomegranate molasses is a
perfect base for wing sauce. Pomegranate molasses isn’t a molasses at all, it’s
actually just pomegranate juice that is reduced until it is thick and syrupy.
You can even make it yourself at home, but it is easy to come by at any Middle
Eastern or Persian market, as well as online. I’ve even spotted it at Whole
Foods. Pomegranate molasses is tangy, a little sweet, and with the dark and
shiny sheen of real molasses. It’s a common ingredient in Middleeastern cooking,
where it’s added to all kinds of dishes from stews, to dips, to glazes for
meats, and more. If you’ve ever read an Yotam Ottolenghi cookbook, than you
know it’s also one of his favorite ingredients to add to vegetable dishes.
Years ago, I first got inspired to add
pomegranate molasses to wings when I saw Aarti Sequeira make a version of this
dish on Aarti Party, her
Indian-themed cooking show. Since then I’ve reworked the dish to skew it
towards my own preferences, and in a slightly more Middle Eastern direction.
These wings get generously marinated in a spice mixture of coriander, cumin,
cardamom, allspice, and pepper. The pomegranate molasses sauce gets Sriracha
added to it for heat, which is a decidedly un-Middle Eastern ingredient, but a
perfect compliment to the dish with its peppery garlicky spiciness. To make
cooking for a crowd a little easier, the wings are baked not fried; they still
crisp up nicely, but you don’t have to deal with the mess, work, or the extra
calories that comes with deep frying. Spiced pomegranate molasses wings have
become a staple party food recipe in our house, Superbowl Sunday or otherwise.
Spiced
Pomegranate Molasses Wings
Serves 4-6
(recipe can be doubled and tripled to serve a larger crowd)
For the
wings-
2 lbs. chicken wings
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground allspice
For the
pomegranate molasses sauce-
⅓ cup pomegranate molasses
3 tablespoons maple syrup or agave, or to taste
2 tablespoons Sriracha, or to taste
1 tablespoon oil (coconut, safflower, or canola)
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons vegan butter
Directions:
1.
Pat the chicken wings dry and
place them in a large bowl.
2.
In a small bowl, combine the salt
and spices. Add the spices to the chicken, and toss the wings until they are
all well coated. Cover and refrigerate the wings for 1 hour to allow the
chicken to marinade in the spice mixture.
3.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place a
rack on a baking sheet and spray or brush the rack with oil. If you don’t have
a rack to cook the wings on, you can place them directly on a baking sheet,
they will just get slightly less crisped. Add the marinated wings to the baking
sheet, leaving ½” of room between each wing.
4.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until
cooked through with an internal temperature of at least 165°F. Flip the wings
once after 15 minutes of cooking time.
5.
While the wings are in the oven,
prepare the pomegranate molasses sauce. Add the pomegranate molasses, maple
syrup, Sriracha, and a tablespoon of oil to a small pot. Heat on medium low,
and allow the sauce to simmer for 10 minutes, or until the sauce has slightly
thickened. Taste and add salt & pepper as needed, or more Sriracha/maple
syrup depending on your preference and the tanginess of the pomegranate
molasses.
6.
Once simmered and slightly
reduced, remove from the heat and add the vegan butter; this will add a smooth
richness to the sauce.
7.
Once the chicken is cooked,
transfer it to a large heatproof bowl, pour the warm sauce all over the
chicken, and toss until everything is well coated. Serve hot with your favorite
sides or dipping sauces.