“While this recipe calls for chicken wings it also works beautifully using a three-pound chicken cut into 16-20 bone-in pieces. I often cook one piece before the others so I can taste it and adjust the seasonings, primarily checking for salt and five-spice powder. We like it as is, but if you prefer a crispier coating, dredge the marinated chicken in additional dry cornstarch before frying.”—Ed Schoenfeld, New York-based restaurant consultant, with a specialty in Chinese food.
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Ingredients:
3 pounds chicken wings, left whole or trimmed into first and second joints with tips discarded or saved for stock
1 egg
1 tablespoon Shaoshing rice wine or good quality dry sherry
1 tablespoon soy sauce (Kikkoman suggested)
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely ground white pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons five-spice powder
2 cinnamon sticks
8 star anise
1-inch piece fresh ginger, smashed
3 scallions, white parts only, crushed
1 tablespoon sesame oil
6 tablespoons cornstarch
6 cups vegetable oil
Directions:
Mix wings with marinade ingredients (everything except the vegetable oil), then cover and refrigerate for four to six hours or overnight, so the flavors penetrate.
Heat six cups of vegetable oil in a wok until it is 350°F (177°C). Remove the wings from the marinade, scraping away and discarding any hard bits of anise or ginger that may stick. One by one, place the wings in the preheated oil, and fry over high heat for six to eight minutes until browned and cooked through. Drain wings, and then transfer them to a paper towel-lined pan to absorb any extra oil. Keep warm in a 225°F (107°C) oven while frying remaining wings.
Servings: Serves six.
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