I am not a lover of coke (or any fizzy drinks for that matter) but I do like to keep some in stock for making these very tasty chicken wings.
There many recipes on the internet for this dish, with very little difference between them. This one is from red house spice, one of my go to sites for Chinese food.
You can use drumsticks and thighs instead of wings if you prefer, just increase the braising time by 5 minutes.
It is a very simple dish to make but do not use diet coke or Pepsi as it is the sugar in the drink that makes the glaze. Diet drinks contain Aspartame, an artificial sweetener which is heat sensitive and not recommended for cooking.
COCA-COLA CHICKEN WINGS
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
9 chicken wings about 900 g/2 lb
1 tbsp neutral cooking oil
330 ml Coca-Cola or Pepsi
6 slices ginger
2 scallions
Seasonings:
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
¼ tsp salt
⅛ tsp ground white pepper
1 piece star-anise optional
1 bay leaf optional
Garnishing (optional):
Sesame seeds
Scallions, finely chopped
METHOD:
Remove the wing tips then cut each chicken wing into two parts at the joints. Pat dry the surface with kitchen paper if they appear to be wet.
Add oil to a wok or a pot. Lay in the chicken pieces, ideally in a single layer. Fry over medium heat until lightly golden (flip halfway to brown both sides).
Pour in Coca-Cola (or Pepsi). Add ginger, scallions, light soy sauce, Shaoxing rice wine, salt, white pepper, star anise and bay leaf. Use a high heat to bring the liquid to a full boil.
Cover with a lid. Leave to cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes. It should be still boiling during the process (not a gentle simmer). Flip the chicken pieces halfway to ensure all sides have contact with the broth.
When the time is up, remove the lid and turn the heat to the highest. Pick out the ginger, scallions and spices. Leave to boil vigorously to allow fast evaporation.
Once thickened, toss the chicken very well to coat every piece with the sauce (Tip: This process takes 8 to 10 minutes depending on the heat. Please bear in mind that the sauce will thicken further while cooling down. Be attentive not to overly boil down as you might burn the sauce.)
Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped scallions and serve.
