RECIPE: SAIGON CHICKEN WINGS

These tasty little Vietnamese-style wings pack crunch and heat, depending on your tolerance for Thai chilies. This recipe comes from Shelley Adams’ Whitewater Cooks, More Beautiful Food, the fifth in the crazy popular cookbook series.

SAIGON CHICKEN WINGS

2½ lbs (1.1 kg) whole chicken wings

2 tbsp (30 mL) soy sauce

½ cup (125 mL) rice flour

Glaze

1 tbsp ginger, chopped finely

1 tbsp (15 mL) garlic, crushed

2 tbsp (30 mL) water

3 tbsp (45 mL) sugar

2 tbsp (30 mL) fish sauce

1 tsp (5 mL) sambal oelek

2 tsp (10 mL) lemon grass paste Garnish

1 cup (250 mL) cilantro, chopped

4 limes, cut in wedges

½ cup (125 mL) peanuts, roasted and chopped

2 Thai red chilies, sliced in circles

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).

2. Rinse chicken wings and cut into three sections, wing, drummettes and tips. Reserve or throw away the wing tips. Place wings in a large bowl with the soy sauce. Toss well to coat. Add rice flour and toss again to coat the wings. Bake for 25 minutes.

3. Place glaze ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Toss wings in the glaze and bake again for 20 minutes. Garnish with cilantro, lime wedges, peanuts and sliced red chilies.