Description
Yamachan Chicken Wings, also known as Nagoya Style Tebasaki, are crispy, flavorful Japanese chicken wings seasoned with a unique soy-based sauce, then deep-fried to perfection. These wings strike a balance between sweet, savory, and tangy flavors, finished with a peppery kick, making them a perfect appetizer or snack that captures the essence of Nagoya street food.
Ingredients
Wings
- 8 chicken wings
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- Cooking oil for shallow-frying (approx. 2 cups)
- Ground white pepper for finishing
Sauce
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- ½ tbsp honey
- ½ tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the Sauce: In a small cold saucepan, combine soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, honey, toasted white sesame seeds, and grated garlic. Stir well to mix all ingredients thoroughly. Place the pan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and allow the sauce to simmer until it reduces by half, concentrating its flavors. Remove the pan from heat and set the sauce aside.
- Prepare the Wings: Pour about 2 cm (1 inch) of cooking oil into a large frying pan and heat it to 160°C (320°F) for shallow frying. While the oil heats, season the chicken wings evenly with salt and ground black pepper. In a separate bowl, mix cornstarch and all-purpose flour. Lightly coat each wing with this mixture, ensuring an even but thin layer.
- First Fry: Carefully place the coated wings into the oil and fry for 3 minutes on one side, then flip and fry for another 3 minutes on the other side. This step cooks the wings through at a lower temperature.
- Crisp the Wings: Increase the oil temperature to 190°C (374°F). Fry the wings again, this time for 1 minute per side, to achieve a crispy, golden-brown exterior. Monitor the wings closely to prevent overcooking.
- Drain Excess Oil: Remove the wings from the oil and place them on a rack or paper towels to drain any excess oil, ensuring they remain crisp and not greasy.
- Coat with Sauce and Finish: Generously brush the prepared soy-based sauce all over the wings so that every side is well coated. Finally, sprinkle a generous amount of ground white pepper over the wings for a finishing peppery flavor.
- Serve: Serve the Yamachan Chicken Wings hot, making them ideal for immediate enjoyment as an appetizer, snack, or side dish.
Notes
- For authentic flavor, use Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) and toasted white sesame seeds.
- Adjust the amount of honey and sugar in the sauce to taste for more or less sweetness.
- Ensure the oil temperature is controlled carefully for the two-stage frying to get perfectly cooked and crispy wings.
- Using a cooking thermometer can help maintain the correct oil temperature during frying.
- Serve immediately after saucing for the best texture and flavor.
- These wings pair well with cold beer or sake as a traditional accompaniment.
