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Drums of Heaven – Spicy and Saucy!

By Richa

5 from 22 votes

on May 28, 2020, Updated Oct 05, 2021

Drums of Heaven are basically Chicken Lollipops that we toss in a sweet, spicy sauce. The result is a dish that’s a total flavor bomb and super addictive! Once you try, you simply cannot stop making again and again!

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No party, game night, get togethers in our house are ever complete without chicken lollipops. Something about the crispy exterior and juicy interior just makes them sooo party appropriate!

These Drums of Heaven are really an extension of Chicken Lollipops. And I love them just as much. There is something about a plate full of drums of heaven that you get through leaving only bones and sticky fingers at the end. Sooo good!

Drums of Heaven Ingredients

• Fried Chicken Lollipops: I have a recipe for Chicken Lollipop here that uses simple ingredients available at home, no artificial food colouring and a really crispy batter!
• Aromatics: Ginger, garlic, green chillies and onions, all finely chopped so that after cooking, you don’t really get these distinctly in every bite. You can use a vegetable chopper or food processor to get a fine chop
• Schezwan Sauce: Spicy schezwan sauce is key to a good sauce for these lollipops. You can use store bought or easily make a big batch at home and store it like I do.
• Soy Sauce: I use dark soy sauce for that deep colour, and extra umami flavour
• Cornstarch or Cornflour: This is optional but a little cornflour slurry added to the sauce and cooked gives it a nice glossy finish and thickens it.
• Chopped Coriander (Cilantro) and Spring Onions: Coriander might seem like an odd ingredient in Chinese cooking, but it really adds flavour to this and makes it authentic Indo Chinese. Chopped spring onions add freshness and a nice zing to this recipe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Storage Tips

• Store uncooked marinated lollipops in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
• You can even freeze for up to a month (freeze in a single layer, then transfer to a container).
• Fried lollipops stay crisp only when fresh. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 1 day and reheat in the air fryer or oven to bring back some crispiness.
• You can make the sauce ahead and refrigerate for 2–3 days. Just reheat and toss fresh-fried lollipops in it right before serving.

Customisation Ideas

• Make it spicier: Add extra green chilies, Schezwan sauce, or a spoon of chili crisp to the final toss.
• Make it kids-friendly: Skip the green chilies and reduce the red chili sauce for a milder, sweeter glaze.
• Switch up the flavors with BBQ sauce, teriyaki glaze, or a smoky tandoori-style sauce for fusion variations.
• For a lighter version, skip deep frying and cook the lollipops in an air fryer. Then simply toss them in the sauce and a healthier version is ready!

Everytime I made chicken lollipops at home, I make sure to fry an extra batch so I can toss them up in some sauce too. That way we have two different appetizers from one recipe!

If you are missing Chinese food as much as I am, this Drums of Heaven recipe will take care of those cravings. And because you make them at home, you know exactly what’s going into them; the lollipops remain crisp and there’s no artificial food colouring in the sauce!

Watch Drums of Heaven Recipe Video

5 from 22 votes

Drums of Heaven – Spicy and Saucy!

By: Richa

Drums of Heaven are chicken lollipops tossed in a sweet, spicy sauce. This Indian Chinese appetizer is everyones favourite for a reason!

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 40 minutes mins

Total: 55 minutes mins

Servings: 6 people

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 500 grams chicken lollipop
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Soy sauce
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Red chilli sauce
• ▢ 1 tablespoons Vinegar
• ▢ 1 tablespoons Tomato ketchup
• ▢ 1 tablespoons Red chilli powder
• ▢ 1 tablespoons Garlic paste
• ▢ 1/4 tablespoons Salt
• ▢ 1/4 cup Cornflour
• ▢ 2 tablespoons All purpose flour
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Rice flour
• ▢ 1 Egg
• ▢ 1 tablespoons Ginger paste
• ▢ Oil, for frying

For the Drums of Heaven:

• ▢ 12-14 Chicken Lollipops, Fried
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Ginger, finely chopped
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Garlic, finely chopped
• ▢ 1/4 cup Onions, finely chopped
• ▢ 2 Green Chillies, finely chopped
• ▢ 1/4 cup Schezwan Sauce, or Sriracha
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Vinegar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Tomato Ketchup
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Sugar
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Cornstarch / Cornflour , mixed in 4 tablespoons water to make a slurry
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Coriander, finely chopped
• ▢ 2 teaspoons white sesame seeds
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Spring Onions, finely chopped (green part only)

Metric – US Customary

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions 

For the Chicken Lollipops:

• Whisk together soy sauce, red chilli sauce, vinegar, tomato ketchup, red chilli powder, garlic paste, salt in a bowl and toss the chicken lollipops in it. Marinade for half an hour.
• In the same bowl, add cornflour, all purpose flour, rice flour, egg and ginger paste and mix well to create a thick batter and coat the lollipops in it.
• Heat about two inches oil in a wok or kadhai to 350F/ 176C. Add the battered lollipops one by one to the oil in such a way that the meat is at the bottom and the bone is on top (watch the video to see how I do it). Fry these on medium high heat till golden brown – approx 3-4 minutes.
• Take these out on a tissue paper to blot out any excess oil and set aside.

For the Drums of Heaven:

• In a wok or kadhai, heat oil and add ginger and garlic. Stir fry on high heat for a minute and add chopped onions. Keep stir frying till the onions soften and add green chillies. After a few seconds, add schezwan sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup and sugar. Cook the sauce for 2 minutes, stir frying as it cooks.
• Add the cornflour slurry and keep stir frying till it thickens (approx a minute or so). Add the chicken lollipop and coriander and toss well. Top it with sesame seeds, chopped spring onions and serve.

Video

Notes

1. Cutting chicken lollipop: Chicken lollipops are prepared using the middle segment of the chicken wing. You can watch this video to learn how to do this at home or just buy them pre-prepared from the store.
2. Marinade: marinade for at least 30 minutes. For the best results, marinate the chicken in the refrigerator overnight. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 10 minutes prior to frying.  
3. Oil temperature: Ensure the oil is at 350F/ 176C for frying the chicken. This temperature is ideal for perfectly cooked crispy chicken. 
4. Make these in advance: You can also make these ahead by frying them once and storing them for a couple of hours. When ready to serve, heat the oil to about 400F/204C and flash fry the lollipops for the second time for just a minute. This will give it a super crispy coating and you’ll have hot chicken lollipops ready to go. Only do the Drums of Heaven stir fry when you’re ready to serve.
5. Storing: Drums of Heaven can’t be stored for later as the chicken becomes soggy and the cornflour makes the sauce really thick. I recommend serving them immediately

Nutrition

Calories: 784kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 53g, Fat: 54g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Cholesterol: 311mg, Sodium: 1478mg, Potassium: 740mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 799IU, Vitamin C: 12mg, Calcium: 45mg, Iron: 3mg

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This article was researched and written by Urvi Dalal.