Tempura Wings with Sriracha-Honey
So when I dream up a recipe, I usually come home and google to see what else is out there. Is it truly a unique idea or am I late to the game?!? The once in a while that I see something similar, I am really happy that people are inspired to experiment with exotic spices and flavors. I was making this tempura batter the other day when the idea of frying wings in it and drizzling them with a sweetened sauce of sriracha popped into my head. And, when I googled, I found out I’m not the only one that appreciates this combo!
That said, this is a bit of a departure from any of the other recipes out there. First of all, I use a traditional tempura batter as a base, which gives quite a different texture than a typical wing batter. Second, I like to remove the skin from the wings – it’s not necessary to achieve the crisp texture, and it’s much healthier. Third, I don’t completely coat the wings in the sauce because they can get a bit soggy, so I use this sauce more for dipping or to drizzle on top.
The light as air, crispy (and NOT greasy) texture of the resulting wings goes without saying. But the sauce made from sriracha, honey, lime, and a bit of fish sauce for that umami flavor is divine! It’s such a salty-sweet satisfaction and pairs beautifully with the crunchy wings. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Yields 4 servings as an appetizer
For the wings:
Oil for deep-frying (I use peanut)
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup rice flour
½ tsp hot paprika
1 tsp finely ground black pepper
½ tsp salt
1 egg yolk
½ tsp baking powder
2/3 cup seltzer water / club soda, very cold
1.5 lbs chicken wings (approximately 12), trimmed, skinned and at room temperature
flour for dredging
For the sauce:
2 tbsps unsalted butter
2 tbsps sriracha*
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp lime juice
½ tsp fish sauce
pinch of salt
toasted sesame seeds (optional , for garnish)
chopped chives (optional , for garnish)
Procedure
Heat 2 to 3 inches of oil in a Dutch oven to 360° F.
In a bowl, mix together flours, paprika, black pepper and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together the egg yolk with baking powder and the cold seltzer water. Whisk the wet mixture into the flour mixture until uniform and lump free.
Make sure chicken wings are room temperature. Dredge chicken wings in flour, shaking off any excess. Dip into the batter and let excess drip off. Fry for 6 to 8 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. If the wings are particularly large, you can place them on a rack on a baking sheet and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes in a 350° F oven. Otherwise, they can be kept warm in a 200° F oven.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Add remaining ingredient and simmer for a few minutes to let the flavors combine.
Serve wings hot, drizzled with the sauce and garnished with sesame seeds and chopped chives.
*Sriracha is a Southeast Asian hot sauce that you can find now at most grocery stores in the ethnic foods isle. It’s tangy, sweet, and spicy and is my table hot sauce of choice…