Spicy Honey Wings with homemade zhug (s'chug)

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Soy-Honey Sauce

1. 1
   In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, honey, sesame oil and garlic.

   Bowl

   💡Honey balances the saltiness of the soy and caramelizes over heat: on the grill it gives a browned crust, and in a pan a glossy sauce.

To assemble

1. 2
   Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F) and line a baking pan with parchment paper.

   Oven

   💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
2. 3
   Arrange the chicken in the pan in a single layer, with space between the pieces.

   Baking pan
3. 4
   Bake uncovered 45 minutes, until the skin is browned and blistered in spots and the juices run clear. Halfway through, turn the pieces.

   OvenBaking pan

   💡In a single layer with space around each piece, the hot air surrounds it and the skin browns and crisps; crowded pieces steam in their own juices.

   💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.
4. 5
   Remove the seeds from the peppers.

   💡The seeds and white membranes are where the heat is: remove them all for a mild schug, leave some in for a hot one.
5. 6
   Grind the peppers in a food processor with the garlic and cilantro.

   Food processor

   💡In a food processor, grind in short pulses and check between pulses: it's easy to go from coarse to paste. (Sesame for tahini, on the other hand, is ground continuously.)
6. 7
   Add the olive oil, salt and black pepper and grind to an even paste.

   Food processor
7. 8
   Take the chicken out of the oven, add the schug to the sauce and toss the chicken in the sauce. Return to the oven for 10 minutes, until the chicken is sticky and glossy.

   BowlBaking pan
8. 9
   Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top.
9. 10
   Serve hot.