Alitas Estilo Mexicali con Soya y Miel

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy 6-quart Dutch oven or wok for frying
• •Reliable deep-fry thermometer (the temperatures matter)
• •Two wire racks set over sheet pans, one for between fries and one for after
• •Spider strainer or slotted spoon
• •Cast iron comal or heavy skillet for the chiles toreados

Instructions

1. 1

   Dry and season the wings

   Pat the wings completely dry with paper towels. Wet wings do not crisp. Season with the salt and pepper, toss to coat, and let them sit on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes. The surface needs to feel tacky, not damp. This is the first decision in a dish full of small decisions that add up.

   If you have time, salt them the night before and leave them uncovered in the refrigerator. The skin dries out and fries up like glass.
2. 2

   Build the dredge

   Whisk the cornstarch, flour, and baking powder together in a wide bowl. The cornstarch is the backbone. It is what makes the Mexicali wing crackle the way it does. Straight flour gives you a soft American wing. Cornstarch with a little flour and baking powder is the Chinese-Mexican formula and it has been the formula on Avenida Reforma for over a century.

3. 3

   First fry at low heat

   Heat the oil in a heavy pot or wok to 300F. Toss the wings in the dredge a handful at a time, pressing the coating onto the skin. Shake off the excess. Fry the wings in batches for 8 to 10 minutes, just until the meat is cooked through and the coating is set but still pale. They should look almost beige, not browned. Lift them out with a spider, drain on a wire rack, and let them rest for at least 10 minutes. This rest is not optional. The wing has to cool before the second fry or the crust will not snap.

4. 4

   Make the glaze

   While the wings rest, combine the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, Coca-Cola, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for three to four minutes, until the garlic loses its raw bite. Stir in the cornstarch slurry. The sauce will tighten into a glossy glaze in about 30 seconds. Pull it off the heat. It should coat the back of a spoon and slide off slowly. The Coca-Cola is not a joke. La Chinesca cooks have used it for decades to round the soy and the vinegar without reaching for white sugar.

   If your soy sauce is very salty, cut the amount to 1/3 cup and add a tablespoon of water. The honey carries the dish. The soy frames it. Do not let the salt run the show.
5. 5

   Blister the chiles toreados

   Heat a dry comal or cast iron skillet over high heat. Lay the whole chiles down and let them char in spots, turning with tongs, for about four minutes. The skin should blister and the flesh should soften. Transfer to a small bowl, toss with the two tablespoons soy sauce and the lime juice, and cover. They will steep in their own heat while the wings finish. Chiles toreados are the northern table salsa. Every Mexicali Chinese restaurant sets a bowl down before the menu arrives.

6. 6

   Second fry at high heat

   Bring the oil up to 375F. Fry the rested wings in batches for three to four minutes, until they turn a deep golden color and the crust crackles when you tap it with the spider. This is the fry that earns the dish. The first fry cooks the meat. The second fry sets the texture. Drain on a fresh wire rack.

7. 7

   Glaze and serve

   Transfer the hot wings to a wide bowl. Pour the warm glaze over them. Toss until every wing is coated in glossy sauce. Move quickly, you want them coated while the crust is still hot enough to grip the glaze. Pile them on a platter. Scatter the sesame seeds and scallions over the top. Set the chiles toreados in their soy and lime alongside, with lime wedges. Eat them the moment they hit the table. Asi se hace y punto.

Chef Tips

• •The double fry is the recipe. Do not skip it, do not shorten it, do not try to bake the wings instead. The first fry at 300F cooks the meat. The second fry at 375F builds the crust. One temperature does not do both jobs. No me vengas con atajos.
• •Use a soy sauce with body, not the thin watery kind in supermarket jugs. If you can find a Chinese-brewed soy sauce at an Asian grocer, that is closest to what they use in La Chinesca. Pearl River Bridge or Lee Kum Kee will get you there.
• •Chile guero is the traditional chile for chiles toreados in northern Mexico. If your mercado does not have them, chile serrano works. Chile jalapeno is too thick-walled and too mild for this purpose. The skin needs to blister fast and the heat needs to come through clean.
• •Glaze the wings the second they come out of the second fry. If they cool, the glaze beads up instead of clinging. The whole dish is built around timing the glaze to the crust.

Advance Preparation

• •The wings can be salted and dried uncovered in the refrigerator up to 24 hours ahead. The skin gets better, not worse, with this rest.
• •The first fry can be done up to 4 hours ahead. Hold the wings on a wire rack at room temperature, then bring the oil up to 375F and do the second fry just before serving.
• •The glaze can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Reheat gently before tossing with the wings. It will tighten as it cools, so loosen with a teaspoon of water if needed.
• •The chiles toreados are best blistered minutes before serving, while the comal is hot from the rest of the cooking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 285g)