Chef and TV host Andrew Zimmern calls this homage to his favorite Penang food stall wings "a schmaltz version of beurre monté," as the chicken fat emulsifies into the soy sauce, sake, oyster sauce, mirin, star anise, and dried chile glaze.
Ingredient
3 pounds chicken wings, wing tips removed and wings cut into 2 pieces
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
4 small dried red chiles
2 whole star anise
One 3-inch cinnamon stick
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup sake
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
3 tablespoons mirin
3 tablespoons sugar
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Direction
In a very large nonstick skillet (or in batches), cook the chicken wings over moderate heat, turning once, until golden, about 8 minutes. Add the ginger, chiles, star anise and cinnamon and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the soy sauce, sake, oyster sauce, mirin, sugar and 1/3 cup of water and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Uncover and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until the wings are cooked through and the sauce has reduced to a thick glaze, about 8 minutes. Discard the chiles, star anise and cinnamon. Transfer the chicken wings to a platter, scatter the scallions on top and serve.