Red-Braised Chicken Wings

Ingredients

• Fresh chicken wings (mid-joint wings recommended, the meat is more tender)
• Ginger slices (fresh ginger recommended, better at removing gaminess)
• Scallion sections (the white part of a leek-type scallion is recommended, more aromatic)
• Garlic
• Bay leaves
• Star anise
• Dried chilies (optional, omit if you don't eat spicy)
• Rock sugar
• Shaoxing wine or cooking wine (either one; Shaoxing wine has a richer flavor)
• Light soy sauce
• Dark soy sauce
• Salt
• White sugar
• Pepper (white pepper recommended, milder heat)
• White sesame seeds (toasted)
• Chopped scallion (for garnish)

Steps

1. Wash the chicken wings. Make three cuts on the thick side of each wing and one on the back to help absorb the flavor.
2. If the wings aren't very fresh, soak them in ginger water for 10-20 minutes after scoring.
3. Prepare 10 g ginger slices (3-4 slices) and 15 g scallion sections (2-3 sections); smash 3-4 garlic cloves (about 15 g) with a knife (no need to mince); set aside 1 bay leaf, 1 star anise and 2 dried chilies (optional).
4. Put the wings in a pot of cold water that covers them all, add 20 ml Shaoxing or cooking wine and 2 slices of ginger (about 5 g), bring to a boil over high heat, keep boiling for 2-3 minutes and skim off the foam.
5. Remove the wings, rinse twice in warm water to remove all the scum, and drain.
6. In a separate wok, heat 10-15 ml of cooking oil.
7. When the oil is medium-hot, add 15 g rock sugar and melt it completely over high heat; once melted and changing color, turn to low heat and keep stirring until it turns a deep date-red, then immediately add the drained wings and stir-fry quickly for 1-2 minutes so every wing is evenly coated in caramel.
8. Add the bay leaf, star anise, dried chilies (optional), the remaining 2 ginger slices (about 5 g), 15 g scallion sections and the smashed garlic, and stir-fry for 30 seconds until the spices are fully fragrant.
9. Drizzle 15 ml cooking wine or Shaoxing wine and 15 ml light soy sauce around the edge of the wok and stir-fry quickly for 10 seconds.
10. Add warm water (about 50-60℃), just enough to slightly cover all the wings.
11. Add 5 ml dark soy sauce, 3 g salt, 2 g sugar and 1 g pepper, and gently stir to combine.
12. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 7-8 minutes.
13. Uncover and use chopsticks to pick out and discard the bay leaf, star anise, ginger, scallion and garlic.
14. Turn to high heat and keep stirring until the sauce becomes thick (about 1-2 minutes).
15. Turn off the heat, plate the wings and pour the remaining thick sauce over them.
16. Finally, sprinkle with 3 g white sesame seeds and 5 g chopped scallion, and it's done.