One of my favorite restaurants in Portland is Pok Pok. I have traveled to Portland many times for work. But this past summer Chris and I went together and visited a few of his friends. Of course we made a stop at Pok Pok. I made sure we got the chicken wings because they are fabulous. These aren't your average bar wings. They have flavor and zing. In our meat CSA we got full chicken wings. When I saw them, I knew immediately what to do with them. We would try to make Pok Pok chicken wings. Luckily, on the internet I found a few people who have also tried to replicate the recipe.
recipe
1/2 cup Asian fish sauce
1/2 cup superfine sugar
4 garlic cloves, 2 crushed and 2 minced
3 pounds chicken wings
1 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped mint
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for frying
In a bowl mix the fish sauce, sugar and crushed garlic. Add the wings and toss it all together. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for about 3 hours. Try to rotate the wings a few times during the marinating process.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet. Cook the minced garlic until it is slightly brown and then remove from the pan and dry it on paper towels.
In a large pan heat 2 inches of oil. Take the wings out of the marinade and pat them dry. Make sure to save the marinade. Put the cornstarch in a medium size bowl. Add the wings, one at a time to the bowl. Coat the wings in the cornstarch and set aside. Once you have all the wings covered in cornstarch it is time to fry them. You may need to do this in a few batches. Fry for about 5 minutes on each side. When done place on paper towels.
When you have all of the chicken finished cooking it is time to make the sauce. In a small saucepan, simmer the marinade over moderate heat until it is syrupy, about 5 minutes. Toss the sauce over the wings. Then top the wings with the fried garlic, cilantro and mint. I served mine as a meal with rice. But this would make a nice appetizer or side to a main dish.
update: I made this recipe with tofu the other night and it was delicious. I think it was the best tofu I have ever made. Simply cut the tofu into strips, marinate and then fry. You do not nee to coat tofu just fry in a pan with a little oil. delicious.
recipe
1/2 cup Asian fish sauce
1/2 cup superfine sugar
4 garlic cloves, 2 crushed and 2 minced
3 pounds chicken wings
1 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped mint
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for frying
In a bowl mix the fish sauce, sugar and crushed garlic. Add the wings and toss it all together. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for about 3 hours. Try to rotate the wings a few times during the marinating process.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet. Cook the minced garlic until it is slightly brown and then remove from the pan and dry it on paper towels.
In a large pan heat 2 inches of oil. Take the wings out of the marinade and pat them dry. Make sure to save the marinade. Put the cornstarch in a medium size bowl. Add the wings, one at a time to the bowl. Coat the wings in the cornstarch and set aside. Once you have all the wings covered in cornstarch it is time to fry them. You may need to do this in a few batches. Fry for about 5 minutes on each side. When done place on paper towels.
When you have all of the chicken finished cooking it is time to make the sauce. In a small saucepan, simmer the marinade over moderate heat until it is syrupy, about 5 minutes. Toss the sauce over the wings. Then top the wings with the fried garlic, cilantro and mint. I served mine as a meal with rice. But this would make a nice appetizer or side to a main dish.
update: I made this recipe with tofu the other night and it was delicious. I think it was the best tofu I have ever made. Simply cut the tofu into strips, marinate and then fry. You do not nee to coat tofu just fry in a pan with a little oil. delicious.
