Ingredients:

Deep-Fried Chicken:

• 7 pieces prepared chicken wings
• Drizzle of fish sauce
• Pinch of toasted ground cumin
• Pinch of five-spice powder
• Nice pinch of chopped coriander (about 2g)

Brine:

• 1 heaped tablespoon toasted cumin (10g)
• 1 heaped tablespoon toasted coriander seed (10g)
• 10 cleaned coriander roots, chopped (20g)
• 3 tablespoons peeled garlic (50g)
• 10 red shallots (250g)
• 5 cups water (1.25 liters)
• 5 tablespoons sea salt (125g)
• 2 tablespoons palm sugar (40g)
• 2 tablespoons white sugar (40g)
• 3 star anise (3g)
• 1 teaspoon five-spice powder (3g)
• 1 teaspoon galangal powder (3g)
• 2 pandanus leaves (8g)
• 10 chicken wings (3kg)

Sweet Fish Sauce:

• 3 cups palm sugar (1 kg)
• 250 ml water
• 4 pandanus leaves (10g)
• 1 cup fish sauce (250 ml)
• 1 cup tamarind water (250 ml)

Instructions:

Brine:

1. Pound toasted cumin and coriander seed coarsely, then add coriander root, garlic, and shallots. Continue pounding until a coarse paste forms.
2. Bring water to boil with salt, sugars, spices, pandanus, and paste. Simmer for a few minutes.
3. Remove from heat and let it cool.
4. Clean, trim, and segment the chicken wings. Wash well and dry.
5. Steep the chicken wings in the brine for 4 hours.
6. Remove from the brine, wipe dry, and let it settle for at least one hour before deep-frying.

Sweet Fish Sauce:

1. In a small pot, melt palm sugar with water and simmer for a few minutes along with pandanus leaves. Skim as needed.
2. Add fish sauce and simmer gently for a moment or two.
3. Stir in tamarind water and simmer briefly before taking off the heat.
4. Ensure the sauce is thick. Skim, strain, and cool.
5. The balance should be sweet, sour, and only a little salty. This makes about 800 ml.

Deep-Fried Chicken:

1. Deep-fry the brined chicken wings until golden.
2. Drain well and place them in a bowl.
3. Drizzle the hot wings with fish sauce, cumin, and five-spice powder.
4. Add the chopped coriander and toss well.
5. Serve with a bowl of the prepared sweet fish sauce.
6. Enjoy your delicious Deep-Fried Chicken with Sweet Fish Sauce!

Keep the extra sweet fish sauce in the fridge for use later!