Hot-as-you-like Chicken Wings
These chicken wings are spicy to begin with, coated in a
thick sweet-sour-spicy glaze. But you can make them hot as you-know-what by
adding hot Asian chili oil to taste. Save the wing tips in a self-sealing
plastic bag in the freezer until you have enough for chicken stock. This
recipe (except for the hot chili oil and the soy sauce) can be doubled,
tripled or quadrupled. Don't double the soy sauce or hot chili oil, but add
them to taste as you increase the size of the recipe.
Makes 12 wings, 4 appetizer servings
For the wings:
6 whole chicken wings
1 teaspoon finely minced fresh mint
1 teaspoon peeled, finely minced gingerroot
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
For the barbecue sauce:
1/4 cup sweet chili sauce (Mae Ploy)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon hot chili oil, or to taste
Preparation:
Remove wing tips from chicken wings and save for stock.
Cut wings in half at the elbow joint, creating two pieces per wing.
Place wings, mint, gingerroot, garlic, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and
vegetable oil in a self-sealing plastic bag, and mix evenly to coat wings.
Squeeze out air and seal bag, Let marinate, refrigerated, for 2 hours or
overnight.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake wings on a rack in a shallow baking pan
until completely cooked, 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make sauce: Put vinegar, sweet chili sauce, sugar and the
2 teaspoons of soy sauce in a small, 1 quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over
high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and continue to simmer bristly
until sauce is reduced to 1/3 cup. Remove from heat. Reserve. At this point
you may whisk in hot chili oil to taste.
Remove cooked wings from oven. Using tongs, place in a medium bowl. Add
reserved chili sauce and toss repeatedly with rubber spatulas to coat wings.
Using tongs, place wings back on baking rack. Return to oven. Let bake until
glaze sets but does not burn, about 5 minutes.
Remove from oven. Serve with plenty of napkins and cold beer.
Note:
Chicken wings come about five to the pound. You may use
already prepared crushed garlic and puréed ginger, but the flavor will not
be as fragrant as with fresh.
Copyright 2006 Jackie Shen
Red Light, Chicago
