Jade: Bitemychickenwings

I have a friend who doesn't eat boned chicken..which pretty much means no dark meat..no juicy chicken thighs...no tender drumsticks..and no chicken wings. Honestly, I think that is no way to live..I went through a phase where I had nothing but ready prepared chicken wings from Asda...in retrospect it tasted pretty awful...thank god the whole thing only lasted about 2 weeks..My point is...chicken wings have got to be the most addictive parts of a chicken...that, and maybe chicken necks..Deep fried, baked, grilled, stewed...it's one of those things that is near impossible to ruin, no matter how crap a cook you are. Having said that, perfectly cooked wings are hard to come by...I'm just lucky to have grown up on the perfect wings~my mum makes the most amazing crispy wings that she marinades in honey, soy and chinese wine...So you'll understand when I say I think the oft under appreciated chicken wings deserve to be a food group on their own.

Coca-cola chicken wings~ Like my old flatemate from china used to make

1 pack chicken wings, cleaned and separated into drummets and wings

4-5 slices ginger

3 cloves garlic

Splash of shaoxing wine

Dark soy

Light soy to taste

250ml Coke ~no Diet please

Little bit of brown sugar and a little dribble of balsamic vinegar for more body

Dried chili [optional ~ but that bit of heat balances out the sticky sweetness really well]

1. Brown the chicken wings and set aside

2. In the chicken fat, fry the ginger and garlic until fragrant

3. Add shaoxing wine to deglaze the pan

4. Add chicken wings, give a quick stir, add soy sauces and coke

5. Bring to a gentle boil, pop the lid on and let it simmer for about half an hour

6. Add the sugar, vinegar and dried chili, and taste to adjust seasoning and let the sauce reduce for a further 10-15 minutes.. really depends how much gravy you want

7. Perfect with a big bowl of sticky sushi rice. Save your leftovers, if there are any...because these wings and all that thick gravy is divine with scallion pancakes...almost a more peasanty take on peking duck;)