The Chef

Restaurants

Meals

Drinks

Restaurants›Mowgli Street Food Newcastle›Bengali Hot Wings Recipe

Bengali Hot Wings Recipe

Name: Mowgli Street Food Newcastles Bengali Hot Wings Recipe
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 24 pieces chicken wings (drumettes + flats); 1 cups plain yogurt (whole or Greek); 1 tbs ginger paste; 1 tbs garlic paste; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp garam masala; 1.5 tsp kosher salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 1 tbs lemon juice; 3 tbs vegetable oil or mustard oil; 0.5 tsp mustard seeds (optional for heat/nod to Bengali style); 8 pieces dried red Kashmiri or Byadagi chilies (or 5–6 red cayenne/long chilies); 2 pieces fresh red chilies (e.g., Thai bird or serrano) — optional for extra heat; 6 cloves garlic cloves; 1 inches fresh ginger; 3 tbs tomato paste; 2 tbs brown sugar; 2 tbs white vinegar; 1 tbs soy sauce; 0.5 tsp ground cumin; 0.5 tsp ground fennel (or panch phoron toasted & ground — optional); 1 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) crushed; 0.75 tsp salt; 0.25 cups water; 0.5 cups cornstarch; 0.25 cups all-purpose flour; 0.5 tsp baking powder; 0.5 tsp salt (for coating); 0.25 tsp black pepper (for coating)

Inspired by Mowgli Street Food Newcastle

Time2h

Serves4

Bold wings glazed in our Bengali hot sauce, packed with red chilli and Indian masala spices for a lingering heat.

Was this page helpful?

Help improve this recipe for others.

Send this recipe to your inbox.

We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.

Ingredients

Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Chicken & Marinade

24 pieces chicken wings (drumettes + flats)

1 cups plain yogurt (whole or Greek)

1 tbs ginger paste

1 tbs garlic paste

1 tsp Ground turmeric

1 tsp Ground coriander

1 tsp Garam masala

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tbs ReaLemon lemon juice

Bengali Hot Sauce (Glaze)

3 tbs vegetable oil or mustard oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds (optional for heat/nod to Bengali style)

8 pieces dried red Kashmiri or Byadagi chilies (or 5–6 red cayenne/long chilies)

2 pieces fresh red chilies (e.g., Thai bird or serrano) — optional for extra heat

6 cloves Garlic cloves

1 inches fresh ginger

3 tbs tomato paste

2 tbs Brown sugar

2 tbs white vinegar

1 tbs Aged soy sauce

1/2 tsp Ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground fennel (or panch phoron toasted & ground — optional)

1 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) crushed

3/4 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/4 cups water

Coating & Frying (or Baking) Finish

1/2 cups Cornstarch

1/4 cups 00 bread flour

1/2 tsp Baking powder

1/2 tsp salt (for coating)

1/4 tsp black pepper (for coating)

4 cups neutral oil for frying (if frying)

2 tbs oil for brushing (if baking)

Garnish & Serve

2 tbs chopped cilantro

4 pieces Lime wedges

1/2 cups thinly sliced red onion (optional)

Method

Chicken & Marinade

Trim and pat dry

If using whole wings, separate tips if desired. Pat wings thoroughly dry with paper towels — dry skin helps crisping.

Mix marinade

In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt, ginger paste, garlic paste, turmeric, ground coriander, garam masala, kosher salt, black pepper, and lemon juice until smooth.

Marinate wings

Add wings to the marinade, toss to coat fully, cover, and refrigerate at least 2 hours or preferably overnight. For best texture, remove wings from fridge 30 minutes before cooking to come closer to room temperature.

Bengali Hot Sauce (Glaze)

Prepare dried chilies and aromatics

Remove stems (and seeds if you want milder heat) from dried chilies. Roughly chop dried chilies, fresh chilies, garlic cloves, and ginger.

Bloom mustard seeds and toast spices

In a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. If using mustard seeds, add them and cook until they start to pop (10–20 seconds). Add ground cumin and ground fennel (or briefly toast panch phoron seeds then crush) and stir 10 seconds to release aroma. Remove to a plate to avoid burning.

Soak and blend chilies

Put chopped dried chilies into a bowl and cover with 0.25 cup hot water; let sit 10 minutes to soften. Transfer softened chilies, fresh chilies, garlic, ginger, and 1 tablespoon oil to a blender. Add tomato paste, brown sugar, white vinegar, soy sauce, kasuri methi, salt, and the toasted spice mixture. Blend to a smooth paste, adding up to an additional 2 tablespoons water if needed to reach a saucy consistency.

Cook the glaze

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a small saucepan over medium-low. Add the chili-tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently, for 6–8 minutes until raw edge is gone and mixture darkens slightly. Adjust seasoning: add more sugar for sweetness, vinegar for tang, or salt for balance. Simmer 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and set aside. Sauce should be thick but pourable for glazing.

Coating & Frying (or Baking) Finish

Prepare coating

In a shallow bowl combine cornstarch, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and black pepper. Toss lightly to mix. This gives wings an extra-crispy crust when fried or baked.

Coat wings

Remove marinated wings and shake off excess yogurt (just enough to allow coating to stick). Working in batches, toss wings in the cornstarch-flour mixture until evenly coated. Shake off excess coating.

Fry method (recommended for maximum crisp)

Heat 3–4 cups neutral oil in a heavy-bottomed pot to 350°F (175°C). Fry wings in batches without crowding for 8–10 minutes until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Remove to a wire rack set over a sheet pan to drain and rest 5 minutes.

Baking method (alternative)

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Place coated wings on a parchment-lined baking sheet on a wire rack. Lightly brush or spray with oil. Bake 35–40 minutes, flipping halfway, until crisp and cooked through (165°F internal). For extra crispness, broil 1–2 minutes, watching carefully.

Glaze the wings

Place cooked wings in a large mixing bowl. Spoon 3/4 of the Bengali hot sauce over the wings. Toss gently but thoroughly to coat — use heatproof tongs or a silicone spatula. Transfer wings to a serving platter and spoon any remaining sauce on top for extra gloss and heat. If you prefer a sticky, lacquered finish, return glazed wings to a hot oven (425°F/220°C) for 3–4 minutes or briefly toss in a very hot skillet to caramelize edges, watching carefully to avoid burning.

Garnish & Serve

Finish and serve

Sprinkle chopped cilantro over the glazed wings and scatter thinly sliced red onion if using. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side so diners can squeeze fresh lime juice to cut the heat.

Storage

Leftover sauce: refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days. Leftover wings: store separately from sauce up to 3 days; reheat in a 400°F oven 8–10 minutes until crisp, then toss with warmed sauce.