GRILLED INDIAN-STYLE CHICKEN WINGS WITH CARROT-CUMIN YOGURT SAUCE

Grilled Indian-Style Chicken Wings with Carrot-Cumin Yogurt Sauce image

Yield Serves 6 as an hors d'oeuvre or 4 as a main course

Number Of Ingredients 9

2 cups plain yogurt
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 carrots
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
3 pounds chicken wings (12 to 14)
1 cup coarse salt
2 cups water
1 1/2 tablespoons garam masala (Indian spice mix) such as Frontier brand
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Steps:

In a sieve set over a bowl drain yogurt, covered and chilled, 2 hours. In a dry small heavy skillet toast cumin seeds over moderate heat, shaking skillet frequently, until a shade darker, 2 to 3 minutes. Cool cumin seeds and with a mortar and pestle or in an electric coffee/spice grinder coarsely grind. Finely grate carrots into a bowl and stir in yogurt, cumin, mint, and salt and pepper to taste. Sauce may be made 8 hours ahead and chilled.
Cut off wing tips, reserving for another use, and halve wings at joint. In a bowl dissolve salt in water. Marinate wings in brine, covered and chilled, stirring occasionally, at least 2 hours and up to 24.
Prepare grill.
In a colander drain wings and rinse well. Pat wings dry and in a bowl rub garam masala and oil onto wings. Grill wings on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals until cooked through and golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes on each side.
Serve wings with sauce.