Nagoya Style Deep Fried Chicken Wings

I first saw the recipe for these famous Japanese deep-fried chicken wings on Just One Cookbook, and was immediately drawn to the pictures of crispy  wings coated in sweet and sticky soy sauce. I don't make deep-fried wings very often, but with this one, I had to make! Indeed, these twice-fried wings were crispy and finger-licking good. We polished off the entire 2 pound batch of wings within minutes, and we were left craving for more. They are fantastic when eaten with white rice as it counteracts some of the sweetness from the glaze on the wings.

Out of curiosity, I decided to do some research on the internet on Nagoya style chicken wings, and noted that they were commonly referred to as Tebasaki wings, which are seasoned fried chicken wings. I decided that since I was going to do some deep-frying, I might as well try out another recipe which I saw on Cooking with Dog. This version of the recipe is more savoury and spicy (from the garlic and ginger) and goes well with a sprinkling of shichimi and ground black pepper. It also uses a little sake to marinade the chicken, which I think makes the chicken brown more when deep-fried. Both this savoury version and the sweet version from Just One Cookbook are delicious in their own ways. If you don't have a sweet tooth, then try the savoury and spicy version. Either way, I love them both!

Now, back to these sweet glazed wings. The original recipe in JOC makes quite a large batch of sauce (enough for three batches of chicken wings, which I (or we, if I don't want to sound too greedy!) would have no problem eating the next day and after that). So, I've scaled down the sauce recipe below to a third of the original portion. I've still got some extra in the fridge which I (we!) will probably be enjoying drizzled over rice and perhaps some roasted eel (unagi) or chicken. For now, I think I might be having chicken-wing-withdrawal symptoms. Here's the recipe for the cure:

Nagoya Style Deep Fried Chicken Wings
Adapted from Just One Cookbook

2 lb (1kg) chicken wings (about 10 whole wings)

1/3 cup potato starch/corn starch

Oil for deep frying

Toasted sesame seeds

Sauce:

2/3 cup mirin

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 tbsp sake

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

2 slices ginger

2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced

Method

1. In a small saucepan, heat all the ingredients for Sauce to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened and reduced by half (the sauce will thicken more as it cools down).
2. Meanwhile, cut the wings at the joint.  Pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle some salt over the wings.
3. Place potato starch/cornflour in a large ziploc bag and toss the chicken in the bag. Seal the bag and shake it lightly until the wings are evenly coated in the flour. Remove the wings from the bag and place on a tray. Shake off excess flour.
4. Heat up about 3 inches oil in a pan/wok on medium high heat. When oil is hot, add a few wings into the oil, taking care not to overcrowd the wok. Work in batches. Fry for about 4 minutes each side until lightly golden brown. Drain on a wire rack. Repeat with the next batch of wings until finished.
5. When all the wings have been cooked, heat the oil again on high heat. Then add in the first batch of wings that were cooked, and fry for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Drain on a wire rack, and repeat with the other batches.
6. Using a pair of tongs (or just use your fingers), dip one side of the chicken wings in the sauce and place on a serving plate. Repeat with the other wings. Alternatively, arrange the wings on a plate and drizzle the sauce over. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds (and shichimi if desired) and serve immediately as a snack or with boiled white rice. Enjoy!