Cook’s notes
Cooking the dish consists of four parts, although one of them is optional.
Salted duck egg yolk paste (sold in jars) is used here. If you’re unfamiliar with the product, or if you’re totally unfamiliar with salted duck eggs, find out more about this Asian delicacy.
Seasoning and marinating the chicken
This is not the optional part. This is a must. You simply can’t reply on the salty sauce to season the chicken wings all the way through. You want the meat of the wings to be as tasty as the sauce that will coat them. Toss the chicken wings with salt and pepper, place in a covered container and marinate in the fridge for at least six hours (overnight is best).Frying the chicken wings
For extra crispness, take the chicken wings out of the fridge, lay them on a rack in a single layer and let the air dry their surfaces while, at the same time, the chilled chicken comes to room temperature. Half an hour or so will do the job. Then, toss the chicken wings in starch (cornstarch is used here but potato starch is an even better choice) and fry in batches. Place the fried chicken wings on a rack in a single layer to prevent steam buildup which will make the crust soggy.The optional step
I took a handful of Thai basil leaves and dropped them in the hot oil in which I fried the chicken wings. I left them there just long enough for them to turn translucent. At that point, they were perfectly crisp. Why is this part optional? Because the fried basil leaves served as garnish. Just like the basil leaves in Taiwanese popcorn chicken — not really essential but desirable for the added texture, color and flavor. (In Malaysia and Singapore, curry leaves serve as garnish. If you have access to curry leaves, you may use them in place of Thai basil.)Tossing the chicken in salted duck egg yolk sauce
Salted duck egg yolk paste (sold in jars) is used here. If you’re unfamiliar with the product, or if you’re totally unfamiliar with salted duck eggs, find out more about this Asian delicacy.Fried chicken wings with salted duck egg yolk sauce
Ingredients
Chicken
- 12 to 15 chicken wings
- 1 tablespoon rock salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- cooking oil for deep frying
- ⅓ cup cornstarch or potato starch (please don’t use all-purpose flour)
Garnish
- 20 to 30 Thai basil leaves
Sauce
- 6 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 4 to 6 tablespoons salted duck egg yolk paste the actual amount depends on the size of the chicken wings
Instructions
- Rinse the chicken wings and pat dry with a kitchen towel.
- Toss the chicken wings with the salt and pepper.
- Place in a covered container and marinate in the fridge for six hours or overnight.
- Place the marinated chicken in a bowl, add the cornstarch and toss to coat each piece evenly. Shake off any excess.
- Heat the cooking oil in a wok or frying pan, and fry the chicken wings in batches until lightly golden and crisp.
- In the same oil in which the chicken wings were fried, drop in the Thai basil leaves and cook until translucent and crisp. Scoop out and place in a bowl lined with paper towels.
- Pour off the oil leaving only a small amount to coat the bottom of the pan.
- Over low heat, cook the minced garlic until lightly browned.
- Add the salted duck egg yolk paste and cook, stirring, until the paste thins out and spreads.
- Drop in the fried chicken wings and toss to coat each piece.
- Serve your fried chicken wings with salted duck egg yolk sauce topped with fried basil leaves.
Vietnamese caramelized pork and eggs
