Coconut Curry Chicken Wings (Indonesian)

These aromatic wings (thanks to lemongrass, lime and ginger) are poached in coconut milk until tender before getting fried until crisp. A dipping sauce made with the marinade reinforces the flavours of the herbs and spices, while a quick-pickle salad offers a bright contrast to the wings.

Marinade:
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 shallots, roughly chopped
2 stalks lemongrass, thinly sliced
1 bunch cilantro leaves, stems roughly chopped, leaves reserved
1 head garlic, cloves separated, peeled and crushed
1 (8”) piece ginger (about 6 oz), thinly sliced
2 limes
2 (13.5-oz) cans unsweetened coconut milk

4 lb chicken wings, split at the joint, wingtips removed and discarded

Pickled Vegetables:
sea salt
2 shallots, thinly sliced crosswise and separated into rings
1 cucumber, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
3 cups water, boiling hot
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 red Thai chile, stemmed and thinly sliced

Make the marinade:  Combine the cinnamon, shallots, lemongrass, cilantro stems, garlic and ginger in a large bowl. Finely grate the zest of the limes into the bowl (reserve the limes separately) and stir in the coconut milk. Reserve 1½ cups of the coconut mixture separately, then add the chicken wings to the bowl with the remainder and toss to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.

Make the pickled vegetables: Combine the shallots, cucumber, carrot and 1 Tbsp. salt in a medium bowl. Carefully pour 3 cups boiling water over the vegetables, then stir to mix evenly and let stand for 20 minutes. Drain the vegetables in a colander, pressing gently to remove excess liquid, then transfer to a bowl. Add the vinegar, sugar, chile and 1 tsp. salt, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt. Refrigerate until ready to use, at least 10 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Add the wings with their marinade, return to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until a paring knife inserted in the middle of a wing comes out with no resistance, about 15 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the wings to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet, season liberally with salt and let air-dry while you make the dipping sauce.

Make the dipping sauce: Place the reserved 1½ cups aromatics and coconut milk in a medium sauce pan over medium heat; stir in 1 cup water and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced and thickened, about 20 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a blender, along with three-quarters of the cilantro leaves and the juice of the reserved limes; purée until smooth. Pour the coconut dipping sauce into a bowl, season with salt and pepper and let cool completely.

Heat 2" of oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 425°F. Working in 2 batches, fry the wings, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes per batch. Transfer the wings with a slotted spoon to a clean rack set over a baking sheet and season with more salt. (Make sure the oil returns to the proper temperature between batches.)

Transfer the wings to a serving platter and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve immediately with coconut dipping sauce and cucumber and carrot pickle.

Makes 6-8 servings.