Chef notes
Mochiko is a glutinous rice flour that I first saw used as a crispy, sweet coating for fish by Chef Mavro at the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival. It creates an incredible crispy exterior with a wonderful hint of sweetness that really enhances the flavor of the chicken while sealing in all the juiciness. Add some spice and a lot of sesame and you get a distinctly Polynesian flavor that is unique and delicious. If you like this coating, try it on fried fish fillets or even veggies.
Technique tip: Make sure not to let the oil get too hot because burnt oil or burnt food in oil will ruin the flavor of the dish, and, in some cases, create extremely harmful compounds. Temperature control and clean oil is key.
Swap option: Shrimp can be swapped for the wings, but adjustments would need to be made. As with virtually all seafood, remove it from the heat before the desired temperature is reached (the residual heat will finish the cooking for you). And a little tip I got from brilliant Hawaiian chef Roy Yamaguchi is that even if you buy fresh shrimp, freeze them first. He was told by Japanese seafood experts that freezing tightens the flesh for a much more pleasant bite.
Special equipment: Deep-frying thermometer.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce or hoisin sauce
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
- 2 teaspoons sea salt (preferably Hawaiian)
- 6 green onions, white and green parts, finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cornstarch
- 3/4 cup mochiko (glutinous rice flour)
- 2 pounds chicken wings, patted dry
- 1 cup vegetable oil or coconut oil
- sesame seeds
- Sriracha, for dipping
Preparation
For the coating:
In a large bowl, combine all of the coating ingredients and mix well. If the batter is thick, add a little bit of warm water to loosen it. It should be fluid enough to stir, but not watery.
For the wings:
1.Stir the chicken wings into the coating mixture, making sure to coat them evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
2.Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
3.Fill a large saucepan with the oil and set it over medium heat. Using a deep-frying thermometer, heat the oil until it reaches 375 F, or until it begins to shimmer.
4.Meanwhile, bring the wings to room temperature for about 10 minutes before frying.
5.Using a slotted spoon, carefully add the wings to the hot oil in batches, cooking until browned on one side, then turning them to brown the second side. Again, using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried wings to the prepared baking sheet.
6.When all the wings are fried, place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
7.Sprinkle the wings with sesame seeds and serve hot with Sriracha for dipping.
