Chongqing Chicken Wings
- Makes
- Serves 4 to 6
- Prep
- 1½ hours
- Time
- 18 hours
- From
- Danny Bowien, Mission Chinese Food, via Munchies
You need to parcook the wings a day ahead, so don't start this recipe on Sunday morning thinking you'll have wings in time for football. Parcooking is nice but not absolutely necessary; I've done it both ways.
Ingredients
Green amounts are scaled. Anything else is as written, so adjust it yourself.
Method
Amounts and times written inside the steps are for the original quantity.
- Make the Chongqing Spice Mix, with its mushroom powder.
- Heat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, toss the wings with the salt and ½ cup (120 ml) oil. Spread the wings out on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Bake the wings for , or just until the skin appears cooked but not browned. Let the par-baked wings cool to room temperature, then lay them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze, uncovered, overnight.
- The next day, retrieve the wings from the freezer and allow them to thaw at room temperature for .
- In a deep pot or a wok (or use a deep-fryer), heat about 4 inches of oil to 350°F. Working in batches, deep-fry the wings for , or until golden and crispy. If you skipped the parcooking, salt the raw wings and fry them for , until cooked through.
- Meanwhile, toast the Tianjin chiles in a hot, dry wok or skillet for about a minute over high, stirring continuously so the chiles cook evenly. Transfer to a plate.
- Drain the fried wings, shaking off as much oil as you can (or let them briefly drain on paper towels). Then transfer to a large bowl and dust them generously with the spice mix, tossing to coat. Add the toasted chiles and toss well. The chiles will perfume the dish, but they aren't meant to be eaten.
- To serve, transfer everything (aromatic chiles and all) to a serving platter and present to your awestruck and possibly terrified guests.