Buttermilk fried chicken wings

Ingredients

• 100g table salt
• 85g caster sugar
• 5 thyme sprigs
• 4 bay leaves
• 8 chicken wings, jointed
• 100g self-raising flour
• 50g potato flour or cornflour
• 50g rice flour

SAUCE

• 275g sriracha
• 125g gochujang paste
• 65ml rice wine vinegar
• 40ml soy sauce
• 40g crunchy peanut butter
• 40g golden syrup
• 40ml sesame oil
• 500ml buttermilk
• oil, for deep frying
• toasted mixed sesame seeds, to serve

Description

• STEP 1

  Start by making the brine. Mix 1 litre of warm water with the salt, sugar, thyme and bay in a large bowl. Once the salt and sugar has dissolved, submerge the chicken wings in the brine and marinade in the fridge overnight or for up to 18 hrs.

• STEP 2

  Mix the flours in a large bowl, seasoning well. For the sauce, put the sriracha, gochujang, vinegar, soy, peanut butter and golden syrup in a large pan over a low heat. Bring just to the boil, then reduce the heat, stirring often so the sauce doesn’t catch. After 5 mins, remove from the heat and cool, then stir in the sesame oil.

• STEP 3

  Drain the wings, wiping off any excess brine. Dip in the buttermilk and then coat the wings by dredging them in the seasoned flour. Heat enough oil in a wide, deep pan to fry the wings, getting it to a temperature of 140C – a piece of bread should brown in about 40 seconds. Add the wings in two batches, deep-frying for 10-12 mins or until the chicken is cooked through and the coating is sealed but barely browned. Drain on kitchen paper and chill.

• STEP 4

  Reheat the oil until it reaches 190C (a piece of bread should brown in about 10 seconds) and add the wings back in, again in two batches, cooking for 2-3 mins or until crisp and deeply golden. Make sure they are hot through before tossing in the sauce to coat and leaving to drip on a wire rack over a tray. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds before serving.