I know I’ve been posting a lot of wings recipe but I only thought it was suitable to post another one as Superbowl Sunday is right around the corner. Now this recipe was originally a wings recipe but during my grocery run, Trader Joe’s had run out of wings (bizzare, right?), and I was in no mood to go to another grocery store so I had to settle with drumsticks. I was initially quite annoyed as I really wanted to make the wings but resorting to drumsticks turned out to be a nice change of scenery.

This recipe calls for steamed wings but I’ve never steamed drumsticks or wings before, and I was actually really surprised as to how much of a difference it made. Wings and drumsticks tend to be baked instead of fried to make them a bit healthier but steaming them puts them a notch higher than baked.

Now the wings are initially steamed for 20 minutes, which takes away a lot of the unwanted gaminess. Then they get finished off in the oven for an additional 15 minutes, which allows the skin to crisp up and the glaze to caramelize. Every bite into the drumsticks felt so clean and fat-less, and they were packed with so much flavor. There was a little bit of spice, a little bit of saltiness, and a little bit of citrusy-ness, all playing along quite well. Once they were dipped into the cilantro dipping sauce, it was just melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

Spicy Citrus Steamed Drumsticks with Cilantro Dipping Sauce (adapted from Simply Scratch):

Yields 4-6 servings

• 2 1/2 pounds chicken wings
• 1 orange, zested and juiced
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
• 1 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Sriracha
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 1 green onion, sliced

For the Cilantro Dipping Sauce (adapted from Simply Scratch):

• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make the dipping sauce, combine the yogurt, mayonnaise, cilantro, green onions and garlic powder; season with salt and pepper, to taste; set aside.

Bring 1-inch of water to a boil in a saucepan with a steamer. (If you don’t have a steamer, you can simply put the drumsticks directly into an inch of boiling water.) Add the drumsticks to the steamer and cover; reduce heat to a gentle simmer and let steam for 15-18 minutes.

To prepare the sauce, combine the orange zest, orange juice, soy sauce, ginger, red-pepper flakes, honey, vinegar and Sriracha in a large bowl.

Once the drumsticks have steamed for 15-18 minutes, add to the sauce mixture and gently toss to combine, being careful not to tear the skin.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. (Lining your pan with foil is crucial - it will save you a lot of work. You’ll see how much of a mess it becomes in the last picture.)

Place the drumsticks onto prepared baking sheet.

Place into the oven for 15 minutes, basting both sides with the sauce every 5 minutes.

Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro and green onion.