ASIAN CHICKEN WINGS WITH PEANUT SAUCE

Asian Chicken Wings With Peanut Sauce image

The humble chicken wing fries up to an irresistibly crisp goodness, as legions of football fans can attest. But in this recipe, Craig Claiborne delivers an Indonesian twist on the old American standby: a soy marinade that sounds a bass note in the deep-fried result, excellent with a spicy dipping sauce on the side. It's a long way from Buffalo, but they're more than fit for game day.

Provided by Craig Claiborne And Pierre Franey

Time 40m

Yield Four to six servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

16 large, meaty chicken wings, about 3 1/2 pounds
Salt to taste, if desired
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon powdered cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
Oil for deep frying
1 sweet red pepper, about 1/2 pound
1 tablespoon corn, peanut or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons curry powder or curry paste
1 cup coconut cream or milk
1/2 cup chunk-style peanut butter
1 teaspoon sugar
Cucumber salad (see recipe)

Steps:

Cut the chicken wings into three parts, main wing bone, second joint and wing tip. Discard the tips or use them for soup.
Put the chicken pieces into a mixing bowl and add salt, soy sauce, sugar, lemon juice, cumin and turmeric. Blend well. Let stand while preparing the peanut sauce.
Preheat the broiler to high and roast the pepper all over until the skin is charred. Place the pepper under cold running water and pull off the charred skin. Split the pepper open and remove the seeds and veins. Chop the pepper coarsely.
Heat the oil in a small skillet and add the shallots. Cook briefly, stirring, and add the curry powder or curry paste. Cook briefly and add the chopped pepper and stir. Remove from the heat.
Bring the coconut cream to the boil. Pour and scrape the pepper mixture into the cream. Add the peanut butter and sugar and let simmer about five minutes.
Pour the mixture into the container of a food processor or electric blender. Blend thoroughly. Return the mixture to a saucepan and bring to the simmer. If desired, the sauce may be thinned with up to one-quarter cup of water.
Heat enough oil to cover the chicken pieces well when they are added. It may be advisable to cook only half of the chicken pieces at a time. Heat the oil to a temperature of 360 degrees. Add the chicken pieces and cook until they are crisp and golden brown. Remove the pieces and drain on absorbent toweling. Repeat if necessary until all the pieces are cooked and drained.
Serve the hot sauce on the side as a dip for the deep-fried chicken pieces. Serve with a cucumber salad on the side.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 462, UnsaturatedFat 20 grams, Carbohydrate 14 grams, Fat 39 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 19 grams, SaturatedFat 18 grams, Sodium 423 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams, TransFat 0 grams