Flack (Fake + Black) Dragon chicken wings

My sister and her partner Des have a favorite "local" they go to for a pint and wings, and the last time I visited, we all went to enjoy, and inevitably attempt to decode, our favorite flavour: the Black Dragon. Despite our elaborate plans to distract the servers and sneak into the kitchen, we were left with trying to figure out the slightly hot, slightly citrusy, somewhat teriyaki flavour combination that made these wings so tasty. This is the closest variation I've come up with, but there's still lots of room for experimentation! In any case, this is a tasty, somewhat Oriental flavoured crispy wing that is great for parties or weekend meals.

Start with the chicken wings, of course, split into flats and drummettes. I like to dust them with 1:1 flour and cornstarch, which gives them a slightly crispier skin compared to plain flour when baked in the oven. You can either salt the wings and let them rest prior to dusting them, or add about 1/2 tsp salt (regular or seasoning salt) to the cornstarch and flour mixture.

Bake in a 400 F oven for 40-45 minutes.

While the chicken is baking, prepare your sauce. This has an element of guesswork, but I start with a basic teriyaki style mix of soy sauce, brown sugar, chopped garlic and chopped ginger. After I get the basic teriyaki formed, it's time to start rummaging around the fridge and pantry. Thai chili sauce for heat and sweet, lemon juice for citrus/acid, hoisin sauce for body, and fish sauce because you need that on everything. This is where experimentation and personal preference take place, finding your own balance of flavors as you add dollops at a time of each condiment.

I like to simmer the mixture for 10-15 minutes until it thickens enough to coat a spoon - because then you know it is the right thickness to coat those fresh-from-the-oven chicken wings.

Once the chicken is ready, place it in a large bowl, with room enough that you can easily toss to coat the wings. Don't worry if some of the dusting mixture still looks dusty after cooking.

And toss gently to coat! The leftover dusting on the wings actually helps the sauce thicken and cling. This is also a good time to add some chopped green onion and sesame seeds.

They can be eaten on their own as an appetizer for parties, but on this evening, we had them with plain white rice, as a nice bland foil to the intense flavors of the sauce. But eat them as soon as possible after coating, so you get that little bit of crunch from the skin under the tangy sauce!

Ingredients:
2 lbs chicken wings, split into flats and drums
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
sprinkling of pepper

Coat wings with dusting mixture and place on oiled broiler pan. Roast in 400 F oven till golden brown and crispy, about 35-45 minutes.

Sauce:

2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp minced ginger
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
2-3 tbsp lemon juice

to taste - add in glugs or dollops and adjust:
Thai chili sauce
hoisin sauce

fish sauce - go easy on this one, add just a little at a time

if too tart, adjust with more brown sugar. If you want more heat without sweetness, add sriracha sauce or crushed chilis. If you need more "mouth feel", add hoisin sauce.

Simmer sauce mixture for 10-15 minutes, or till it thickens enough to coat a wooden spoon.

When chicken is done, place in large bowl. Pour hot sauce over chicken, and toss gently to coat.
Garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds. Eat as soon as possible!

HONEY GARLIC VARIATION
I admit that the Flack Dragon is not actually my favorite chicken wing flavour! it's just fun to make and my family really loves it. My real favorite is a honey garlic sauce, so if the above is not for you, or you just don't have those things in your fridge, try this instead. Do everything as above, but when making the sauce use:

2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp minced ginger
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 to 1/3 cup honey

Simmer as above for 10 min to thicken, then coat the wings as usual. You might have to eat this one even faster (I usually do).