When it comes to frying chicken, my preferred method involves an extended marination to ensure the meat is infused with succulent flavor all the way through. Instead of the usual buttermilk base, I prefer a straightforward salt and sugar brine. Here,
To make the fish sauce marinade, combine half of your minced garlic with the fish sauce, warm water, sugar, and salt in a plastic container. Shake well. Place the chicken wings in a bowl and cover with the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit in the fridge for several hours, if not overnight.
Take the chicken wings out of the fridge. Transfer the wings to a tray and remove as much of the minced garlic as possible. Transfer the marinade into a small sauce pan. Pat the wings dry with a paper towel.
Preheat the frying oil to 350 degrees. Heat the reserved marinade over medium heat until it starts to boil. Allow it to cook for a few minutes to agitate some of the proteins and collagen left from the chicken. Strain it to remove any solids from the chicken and the old garlic by pouring it into a bowl. From there, return it to the small sauce pot. Add the remaining garlic, lime juice, and sliced Thai bird’s eye chilies. Bring the strained glaze back up to a boil over medium high heat before dropping the heat to low and allow to reduce by half. This should take 10-15 minutes. Once done, cut off the heat and allow to cool while you fry your wings. This will help the glaze thicken up a bit more.
In a large clean bowl, add the chicken wings, baking powder, Mala Spice Mix, and cornstarch. Using clean or gloved hands, toss the chicken wings in the mixture. Fry half of your wings for ten minutes or until brown and crispy on all sides. Transfer to a paper towel-lined tray.
Bring the frying oil back up to 350 degree and fry the second batch of wings. Once those are done, transfer to the paper towel-lined tray. Allow your oil to return to 350 degrees for the last time. At this point, I like to flash fry my first batch for one minute to ensure that the wings are all evenly crisp before glazing them. Transfer to the tray once complete.
In a large mixing bowl, add in your wings and toss with a few tablespoons of sauce until the wings are nicely coated. Transfer the finished wings to your serving platter and top with the thinly sliced scallions. Eat while they are still hot and crispy!
