These wings are loosely inspired by Andy Ricker’s fish sauce wings, a popular staple in Portland, Oregon. If you opt for the garnish of Crispy Fried Shallots, fry them before frying the chicken and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Please read about Deep-Frying.

Mix together in a large bowl:

Remove the wing tips from:

Cut each wing into 2 pieces at the joint and pierce each muscle a few times with the tip of your knife (this allows the marinade to penetrate deeper). Toss the wings in the bowl with the marinade and refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours and up to 6 hours, stirring occasionally. When ready to cook, remove the wings from the marinade, scraping off any excess. Transfer the marinade to a small saucepan. Pour onto a plate:

Coat the wings with the cornstarch, shake off the excess, and set aside. Bring the reserved marinade to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in:

Preheat the oven to 200°F. Heat to 375°F in a deep-fryer, deep heavy pot, or Dutch oven:

A tip of a wing held in the oil should sizzle briskly. Add as many wings as will fit in a single layer and fry, turning once, until golden brown and cooked through, 10 to 13 minutes. Drain on paper towels and keep warm on a wire rack set over a baking sheet in the oven. Repeat with the remaining wings. Transfer the wings to a large bowl, pour the sauce over them, and toss until evenly coated. Liberally sprinkle the wings with:

Serve immediately with: