Wing and a Prayer
Crispy Japanese-Style Fried Chicken Wings with Honey-Mustard Dipping Sauce
50 minutes
Serves 4
AppetizerJapaneseDairy-freeNut-freeShellfish-free
Herb's take
Meet karaage’s party-starting cousin: these wings get the ginger-soy treatment, a potato starch jacket, and a hot dip in oil, then land on your plate with a sweet-sharp honey mustard that’s more Osaka than Oscar Mayer. Get ready to learn why double-frying is the secret handshake of Japanese fried chicken.
Equipment needed
- Wire rack
- Dutch oven or heavy deep pot
- Deep-fry thermometer
Ingredients
Yield
4
Instructions
- 01In a large bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sake, grated ginger, minced garlic, mirin, and sugar. Add the chicken wings and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, turning once halfway.
- 02Remove wings from the marinade and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Discard any excess marinade.
- 03Place potato starch on a rimmed baking sheet. Dredge each wing evenly, pressing lightly so the starch adheres on all sides. Shake off the excess and rest wings on a wire rack.
- 04Pour neutral oil into a large Dutch oven or heavy pot to a depth of about 2 inches. Heat oil to 325°F over medium-high heat.
- 05Fry half the wings in a single layer for 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until pale golden and just cooked through. Remove to a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining wings.
- 06Increase oil temperature to 375°F. Return all wings to the oil for a second fry, 2 to 3 minutes, until deep golden and seriously crisp. Transfer to a rack to drain.
- 07While the wings rest, whisk together honey, Japanese hot mustard, and rice vinegar in a small bowl until smooth.
- 08Arrange wings on a serving platter. Sprinkle with scallion. Serve immediately with the honey-mustard sauce for dipping.
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