You've never had wings like these.
Vietnamese Fish Sauce Chicken Wings (Canh Ga Chien Nuoc Mam)
Chef Thuy Le-Goldberg
6
45 minutes
45 minutes
Vietnamese
Appetizers
It's for sure an atypical flavor, but fish sauce and brown sugar is a match made in heaven.
Ingredients
blank
2 to 2 ½ pounds chicken wings
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp garlic powder
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp black pepper
blank
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ cup cornstarch
⅛ cup rice flour
2 tsp garlic powder
1 cup still or sparkling water
1.5 liters neutral oil, for frying
blank
4 tbsp brown sugar (or white sugar)
4 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
7–8 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp chili sauce (optional)
1 Thai chili, finely chopped (optional)
8–10 sprigs cilantro, finely chopped (or use mint)
2 scallions, finely chopped
Directions
Clean the chicken wings: Soak the wings in water with 1 tbsp flour. Rinse and pat dry.
Place the wings in a large zip bag or bowl. Add all seasoning ingredients and toss well. Let marinate for 30 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine all the batter ingredients and mix well. Let the batter rest for 5–10 minutes.
In a separate bowl, mix together water, sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, and chili sauce until dissolved. Set aside.
Fry the chicken: Heat oil in a deep pan or fryer to 350°F. Dip each marinated wing into the batter. Shake off any excess.
Carefully lower the wings into the hot oil. Fry in batches for 6–8 minutes, depending on size.
Remove and place on a wire rack to drain. Let them cool for 10 minutes.
Increase the oil temperature to 375°F for the second fry. Re-fry the wings for another 5–7 minutes, or until golden brown and extra crispy.
Drain on a wire rack again. The wings should now have a deep golden color and stay crispy longer.
Make the sauce and coat: In a clean skillet, heat 4 tbsp oil.
Add minced garlic and sauté until it just turns light golden. Immediately remove the garlic to prevent burning, it will continue to cook off the heat.
In the same pan, pour in the pre-mixed sauce and simmer on medium heat for 2–3 minutes, until slightly thickened.
Return the wings to the pan and toss to coat evenly for 1–2 minutes. Alternatively, brush the sauce over each wing individually.
To Serve: Arrange wings on a serving plate. Top with the crispy garlic, chopped cilantro, and scallions. Serve immediately while hot.