Guys who bring chicken to the braai are generally treated like pariahs.
This recipe will change that.
The protein
Avoid buying battery chicken. A study by the Iowa State University showed that organic, free-range chicken provides healthier levels of saturated fat and the most beneficial levels of polyunsaturated fat, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids than conventional broiler chickens.
The line-up
● 16 chicken wings
● 1 tsp honey
● 4 tsp hoisin sauce
● 3 tsp warm water
● 1 tsp salt
● 2cm knob ginger, peeled and finely chopped
● 1 tsp cracked black pepper
● 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
● 4 spring onions, finely chopped
The game plan
Chop the wing tips off at the joint, says Roake. “If you leave these on, they just burn.” Mix all the sauce ingredients together and set aside. Skewer three chicken wings onto two wooden skewers. Braai the wings over medium coals until they are nicely cooked through. Set aside in a large dish. Just before serving, pour the marinade over the wings and put them back on the braai. Baste with a brush as you cook, turning often to ensure the basting doesn’t burn.
The side dish
Spicy chinese celery salad. “One of my favourite ways of doing celery is Chinese style, with a little kick from the chilli,” says Roake. “When you blanch the celery, the stems go a brilliant green – nice to look at and even better to eat, my china.”
● 1 head fresh, crispy celery
● 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
● 1 tsp sesame oil
● ⅓ cup soy sauce
● 1tsp sugar
● 2 tsp chopped coriander
● 1 tsp black pepper
● 1 tsp chilli flakes or Japanese chilli powder
or 1 red chilli, finely chopped
Make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients together with the sugar, ensuring the sugar dissolves. Cut off the leaves and the base of the celery head and peel off the stalks. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry. Cut the stems down the centre and then into equal sizes of about 5cm each. Boil a litre of water and plunge the celery stalks into the boiling water. They should turn bright green. Boil for two minutes, then drain and place immediately into a large bowl of iced water to arrest the cooking. While still vaguely warm, pour over the dressing and leave to sit at room temperature, or make this the night before and rest it in the fridge.
