Ah! Chicken wings…What’s not to like!
Actually, do you know what I like even more? Little birdies. Yes. You heard me right. The same ones that fly in the sky. They are absolutely, mouth watering, delicious eaten whole; grilled or sauteed and lathered with a sweet and sour pomegranate molasses basting sauce.
I am consciously aware that what I’ve just said is politically incorrect and illegal in most places. But, in Lebanon they are still hunted and served for culinary enjoyment.
I’ve been hunting them with my father and eating them ever since I can remember.
(Chris hunting around our mountain house near Sanine, Lebanon on our trip last year. He wasn’t lucky that day).
These delectable miniature creatures are referred to simply as birds (3asafeer) or fig birds (3asafeer el tine) as they feed on figs. Seth Sherwood of the New York Times tried them out on a recent trip to Beirut and here’s what he had to say:
” Hesitantly, I popped one in my mouth. Tiny bones cracked like toothpicks. In a quick burst, succulent meat mingled with the sweet-sour basting sauce. It was sublime. A miniature Hitchcockian menace had been transformed into an unexpected gastronomic gem.”
Oh yes… He knows what he’s talking about!
So, what do chicken wings have to do with little birds, you ask?
When you live in the U.K and you’re craving these birds which you know you just cannot have, you quickly learn to settle for something else. Preparing chicken wings in the same basting sauce used for the birds can work as some pseudo- fix requiring a generous serving of mental hocus-pocus.
You must believe. You must really, really believe!
However, if we leave the hallucinations out and talk about them simply as chicken wings- well then they are the best chicken wings you’ll ever taste! Bonus– easy and quick to make as well!
Don’t take my word for it- hurry, go, make em!
- 1kg or 2.2 pounds of chicken wings
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 1 teaspoon seven spices; a mixture of spices typically including black and white pepper, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and coriander
- ¼ cup pomegranate molasses- found at any Middle-Eastern grocer
- about 30ml or 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- ½ a lemon- juiced
- a handful of coriander about 15g, finely chopped
- Salt & pepper to taste
- You want to be sure to use a heavy-bottomed, deep saute pan. Place it on medium flame, add the olive oil and let it get hot.
- Then quickly add the minced garlic, the chicken wings and the seven spices and mix well so that they are covered well with the oil and garlic. Now, let them cook on one side for about 10 minutes. Gently shake the pan every once in a while to minimizing sticking.
- Once they are cooked on one side turn them over and cook for a further 10 minutes on the other side.
- Now add the chopped coriander, lemon juice and pomegranate molasses. Mix well and let it sit for about 5 minutes before serving.
- They are best served with Arabic bread, extra pomegranate molasses on the side and of course for those of you who can’t help yourselves; Toum or Lebanese garlic sauce. Enjoy!
These were so nice they nearly did not get photographed…
Hurry up already!
Whoo hoo. Chicken wing, chicken wing…! I guess I have to buy some chicken wings and give it a go! They truly look delicious.
Love the pomegranate molasses on the chicken wings. I’m a little birdie lover too…we have something similar in Greece.
The basting sauce sounds delicious! I am a very adventurous eater and I think it would take a bit of time to get used to the little bones snapping like toothpicks in my mouth, but I’ll take your word for it!
Hurrah – Chris finally got his chicken wings!! Question is whether you ever managed to capture his chicken wing dance on video?! 😉
These look FANTASTIC! Can we have them when we come to your place in the summer? Pretty please? And I think our respective other halves would get on like a house on fire – we can send them off into the wilds with firearms to forage 😉
Jeanne- Silly me did not! That would have some seriously good comic relief. BUMMER! Will defo have these for you when you come and can’t wait to meet the other half 🙂
Little birdies eh? How do I ask for them at a restaurant in Lebanon?? I like quail, so I am guessing I will share your enthusiasm for these poor birdies… :)))) (gawd! I am such a carnivore!! :OO )
Great minds think alike- eh? 🙂
I think I’ll opt for the wing version rather than the little birdies! The sauce sounds delicious.
I believe. I really do believe…and do I sound very greedy if I say…I WANT?? Simple & exciting…super yum Beth! I’ve made pom molasses once before, & looks like I’ll have to do it again. Do you get yours in a bottle? Just curious!
Love the simplicty of the recipe & the awesome good cast of characters…my mouth’s watering!!
Pow! Pow! Pow! Honey, you’re hardcore! I’ve heard about the little birdies before, but never had them. Not so sure about the little bones. And I simlply must try this pomegranate molasses you keep raving about. Maybe when I come over next time? xxx
Hey Beth, I’m a newbie here, just wanted to say hi and I LOVVVVE the name of your blog. Wish I’d thought of it myself 😉 and your dishes are quite literally mouthwatering! I’m officially stalking you 😉
Have never cooked with pomegranate molasses before, I get the feeling I’ll like it though. Will definitely need to get some and make myself some chicken wings!
Don’t know where my first response went to… anyway, I was saying that I can just imagine Chris singing and dancing is POW POW song and that in Guyana, my birth country and other parts of the Caribbean birds are enjoyed too. The first I knew of it was when I was a kid and I had gone to visit my uncle and his family in the country. My uncle and male cousins came home with freshly caught birds and set about cleaning them and my aunt cooking it but I honestly could not bring myself to eat it. As as kid, I kept thinking that the bird would come back to life and haunt me LOL
I’m making this tomorrow, especially since I now have my bottle of pomegranate molasses. I may have to make double the amount though!!!!!!!!!
Hi Bethany I’m sorry i only just saw your comment on my blog. I’m sorry for not responding Thank you for commenting.
these little birds sound fab Beth. you know i’ve been talking about this loads lately with my mates at work – i really REALLY wanna go hunting for my own food. i think there must be such a sense of accomplishment when you look at a plate of food you caught and prepared from start to finish. these wings are deeelicious i bet – love the ingredients you’ve used. Very exotic! x
oh this is great! I love chicken wings in all shapes and forms too and hey, I’m up for shooting a little birdie (LOL totally politically incorrect!!)….
Beth
Your posts are always so enjoyable and peppy!
I am not sure what you have going in June. Are you going to be in Lebanon? If so I am planning to be there as well, Inchallah!
Hope to meet you too!
X
Joumana
Hey, Bethany. Love the look of these wings, and pomegranate molasses gets me every time. I wanted to stop by also to say thanks for commenting on my blog post to raise money for Haiti. I appreciate it. Results of the initiative are here: http://www.feedingthesaints.com/2010/baker-says-thank-you/
I’m giving some link love back to you in my blogroll, too. Look forward to reading more of your posts. ~ Allison
This recipe sounds really good. What is/are the seven spices? Thanks!
Hello Terri!
Seven spices: is a mixture of spices typically including black and white pepper, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and coriander
I’ve never used pomegranate molasses before – I have a bottle sitting in my pantry for that “just in case” day… and today was it! Finally some inspiration! Thanks for sharing your recipe – I’ll have to try it.
These are so amazing! I finally got a chicken wing recipe i can do!!
These look delicious! Thanks for sharing 🙂
this looks so delicious my tummy is grumbling!!!
Will definitely be making these. Wonderful
I’ve never been much of a wing man, but I’m thinking this amazing recipe will work well with chicken tenders too!
Hey Bethany 🙂 I am really happy to find this site after a long search for the lebanese chicken wings with coriander.
And Bethany as I understood you have a mountain house near sanine so i was wondering if it’s near my house, my village name is Baskinta.
So I guess I will be doing this recipe tomorrow morning because I will not be able to wait till lumch 😉
Looks amazing.
I’ve actually not cooked with molasses before. Are they a little like tamarind, but sweeter?
For some reason thats the impression I have in my head of them…. could be totally wrong of course.
Fantastic blog anyhow… 🙂
Wow! Just tried these last night and they were amazing. I did a test-run before a big Lebanese-themed party I’m having on Sunday (just because I like the food 🙂
However, I’m wondering if these could be roasted or something as opposed to cooking in a pan? I’m cooking for 40 people, so I need to cook in much larger batches. Could you offer any advice? I’m making 15 pounds of wings!
Thanks so much, and thanks for the recipes! I’m using several for my party. Yum!
Cara-Yes, you most definitely can bake them especially as you are making such a big batch 🙂 I would say cook them based on the suggested time given on the package. I don’t imagine they require more than 20-25 minutes. I would also suggest grilling them right at the end to give them an extra crunch!