Pan Grilled Chicken Wings; Recipe from my #NaijaDiaries

There are so many approaches to cooking chicken wings. They can be marinated in a wide range of flavours, I prefer spicy and sweet. When it comes to grilling wings, I personally love to grill in the oven; as this is quicker. Some prefer to grill in a non-stick frying pan or a griddle pan. Grilling chicken wings on a griddle pan or non-stick pan gives that flavourful char taste that cannot be achieved when been fried or grilled in the oven. And I love tossing my grilled wings in honey and sauce for added sweetness.

Ingredients Required 

1.5kg Chicken wings 

1 tablespoon Foodace All Purpose Seasoning 

1 teaspoon  Sea Salt 

1/4 teaspoon onion powder (optional)

1 tablespoon runny honey

4 tablespoons any frying oil of choice 

Instructions

1. Using a knife, separate the wingette and the drumette. Wash and pat dry with clean kitchen tissue. Alternatively, place in a sieve.

2. Season wings with salt, Foodace All Purpose Seasoning and onion powder. Allow to sit for an hour in the fridge or on a work top.

3. Add oil in a non-stick frying pan and place over a high heat. Place seasoned wings in the heated oil and allow to fry on each side for 10 minutes (that is 20 minutes in total). Turn down gas heat to the lowest.

4.  Cover the pot with lid and allow to cook/fry for another minutes 10 minutes but this time just turn them occasionally to ensure they are cooking nicely.

5. After 10 minutes, remove the lids, drizzle the honey on the wings, toss the wings to ensure they are well coated.

6. Allow to grill further for another 10 minutes, turn of the gas and eat the wings!!!

15 Minutes Sticky Honey Wings

Ingredients 

900g chicken wings (cut as desired)

1 teaspoon sea salt 

1/2 teaspoon Foodace All Purpose seasoning 

For Coating 

3 tablespoons organic honey 

1 tablespoon Foodace All purpose seasoning 

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 

For Frying 

Oil for deep frying 

A wok or deep frying pan

For grilling 

You will need oven tray 

Instructions.

1. Place wings in a bowl, season with salt and Foodace All Purpose Seasoning.
2. Add oil in a wok for deep frying and heat up (medium to high heat).
3. Once heated, gently slip in the wings in the oil to prevent hot oil splashing (fry in small batches).
4. fry the wings for 5 minutes. Transfer fried wings to oven tray. Turn off gas and let the oil cool a little bit (this way the second batch will not burn but will cook nicely)
5. At this point, pre-heat oven grill. Set at high heat.
6. Fry the remaining chicken, just like the first batch for 5 minutes and transfer to the baking tray.
7. In a bowl, add honey, balsamic vinegar and Foodace All Purpose Seasoning, mix until incorporated.
8. Pour over the chicken and ensure they are well coated.
9. Now, turn down the grill to low, place coated wings in the oven grill and grill for 5 minutes or  as long as desired.
10. Transfer chicken to a plate and munch on. SO TASTY.

Okra Soup - Mama's Style

Ingredients

1 and 1/2 kg okra 

500g king prawns (cleaned and deveined)

1/2 cup palm oil 

500g goat meat (chopped)

Small quantity of stockfish 

Salt to taste

Knorr seasoning cubes

1 large onion (finely chopped)

6 cubes of frozen spinach or fresh spinach

2 scotch bonnets (chillies)

1 small paprika pepper (tatshe)

2 and 1/2  cups water

Instructions

1. Wash the okra and slice using a knife; set aside.

2. Place stockfish,  meat and water in a pot, season with Knorr cubes, salt and handful chopped onion; cook until meats are nicely cooked and tender. Set aside.

3. Half the sliced Okro. Put one portion in a food processor alongside scotch bonnets, handful chopped onion and paprika pepper. Using the pause button, process until they are roughly chopped.

4. In a pot, heat up palm oil, then add the processed okra mix, frozen spinach and prawns; add 1/2 knorr seasoning cube. Fry for about 5 - 8 minutes or until the prawns are cooked through.

5. Add cooked meat and stockfish with stock; stir, taste and adjust taste by adding salt.

6. Cover pot with lid and allow to simmer for about 4 - 6 minutes.

7. Add the other portion of Okra, stir; add more water if need be. Allow to cook for about 4 - 5 minutes.

8. Turn off gas and enjoy with any swallow of choice.

Nigerian Buns

Ingredients 

2 and 1/2 cups self raising flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg

2 of (1/4) cups Nido powder milk (i.e 1/4 cup + 1/4 cup)

1 cup + 2  of (1/4) cups warm water

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)

Oil for deep frying

Instructions

• Place all dry ingredient in a mixing bowl, then crack in the eggs, followed by water.
• Using your hand, mix until well mixed.
• Cover with cling film and set aside. 
• In a deep pot or wok, add oil for deep frying and heat up.
• Once heated, scoop in the batter into the hot oil, fry until golden brown.
• Transfers fried buns on to a kitchen tissue, so excess oil can soaked out.ni
• Turn off gas before frying the next batch. (because the oil is still very hot, it will fry the batter up to the point that it starts to float, at this point, turn on the gas and fry till golden brown. 
• Repeat the process for the rest. 
• Enjoy hot. 

Spicy Honey Wings

Ingredients

1 kg chicken wings

1 tablespoon Foodace All Purpose seasoning 

1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 tablespoons honey 

2 tablespoon sesame oil 

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom 

1/2 lime (Juiced)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven, gas 180 degrees celsius.

Cut of the tip of the wings and discard. Place chicken wings in a bowl, add all ingredients and mix until wings are all coated. 

Place wings on a shallow non-stick baking pan and in the oven. 

Roast for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, transfer chicken on to another baking tray. Add 2 tablespoons chilli sauce, toss the honey wings and ensure they are well coated.

Return in the oven and allow to grill further for 5 minutes.

Serve hot.

Simple Yam Pottage

Ingredients

750g yam (peeled and cut into small chunks)

100g spinach leaves

1/2 large onion

1 paprika pepper

1/2 teaspoon Foodace Pepper soup spice 

150g smoked mackerel fillets

1 scotch bonnet (optional)

4 tablespoons palm oil 

1 knorr seasoning cube

1 cup water

salt to taste

Instructions

Place yam and mackerel fillets in a medium pot. Set aside.

In a blender, add onion, scotch bonnet, paprika pepper and water; blend until smooth. 

Pour blended mix into the yam pot, add seasoning cube, salt, palm oil and boil on a medium heat. 

Allow boiling for 8 minutes, stir and reduce gas heat; allow simmering so the yam can soak up ingredients and soften nicely too. 

Allow to simmer for another 8 minutes or until yam is cooked nicely.
Once cooked and thickened, add spinach; stir and  turn off gas.

Turn occasionally as this encourages thickening of the yam.

Enjoy

Homemade Chilli Sauce

Every chilli sauce recipe I have created was inspired by my chilli sauce addict husband. His love for extra spicy foods is just out of this world. After having our kids, I stopped cooking spicy foods simply because I want all of us to enjoy our meals without anyone crying about the meal being too spicy. This was how the chilli sauce production was born. At first, hubby was the one making them by himself for his sole consumption (lol), then I joined in the chilli licking business, then took over the production. I must say, it has been an amazing chilli sauce adventure for us.

This chilli sauce is versatile and can be used in every single dish; be it bbq meats, fresh fish, chicken and for cooking as well. It literally makes my life easier; saves me blending time. It is subtle with a lovely sweet taste to it before the chilli hits your tastebuds.

Here is my recipe:

Ingredients

7 scotch bonnets

2 paprika peppers (tatashe)

6 garlic cloves

1 and 1/2 onions

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamon pod (optional)

 handful parsley 

1/3 cup sunflower oil or any oil of choice

Salt or any seasoning cube to taste.

Instructions

Deseed the paprika peppers, place in a food processor along side with onions, scotch bonnets, parsley and garlic; process until roughly chopped.

Heat up oil on a medium heat and fry pepper mix. Season with salt or seasoning cubes to taste. Frying should take about 8 - 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.

Allow to cool down completely before bottling. Store in the fridge.

Recipe by Belle Nnorom

@Foodace