I love fried chicken with a singular passion; an innate affinity from my small town Missouri upbringing where it was as important as any other cultural marker to my family and community. Cold fried chicken for picnics and reunions, at restaurants for special occasions, and Sunday supper at home…my mother traversing our modest kitchen with hot grease, buttery potatoes, and canned green beans bathed in bacon and onions.

I still hold fried chicken in high esteem today; whether from one of my childhood haunts like Chicken Mary’s or Barto’s in southeast Kansas or just simply doubled battered at home for the family or a dinner party. Currently I’m obsessed with the myriad ways to prepare wings - from the grill, traditional Buffalo style, or as sticky Korean bbq, just to name a few. And wings are the perfect vessel for frying chicken, especially when embellished with a sauce or glaze like the one I’ve devised with Blue Elephant Massamam Curry Paste; slightly sweet, spicy with a whisper of brown spice that ignites an edible paradigm shift from more traditional wings…and a saucy crunch that is nothing short of culinary nirvana. Try my Massamam BBQ Chicken Wings tonight - you’ll be glad you did.

Massamam BBQ Chicken Wings

SERVES: 4 TO 6 | PREP, COOK TIME: 45 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS

FOR FRYING

1/2 cup peanut oil

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup corn starch

Salt and pepper

2 1/2 pounds chicken wings (drumettes and flats separated)

FOR THE GLAZE

1 5.6 ounce pouch Blue Elephant Massamam Curry Paste

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup soy sauce

4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons fish sauce (or more if you’re feeling lucky)

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced ginger

TO SERVE

1 bunch green onions, chopped

Sesame seeds

TECHNIQUE

Heat oil over medium high heat in a large cast iron skillet. While oil is coming to temperature, in a large bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Toss the chicken wings in the flour mixture until completely covered.

Once the oil is hot, fry the wings carefully in batches on all sides until golden brown…and reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Allow to rest and drain on a sheet pan covered with paper towels. Dispose of hot oil, wipe down cast iron skillet.

Whisk together all the ingredients for the glaze, then allow to simmer in the cast iron skillet for approximately 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, coat the fried chicken with the glaze by gently tossing together, then serve warm with a garnish of chopped green onions and sesame seeds.