Fish sauce chicken wings is on every Vietnamese restaurant menu but never gave them a whirl. Even though I can imagine the texture and flavours being out of this world, I just opt for other appetizers such as cha gio or goi cuon. It wasn't until my oldest son pointed out this divinity at a Richmond Hill Vietnamese joint, where he and his dad enjoyed with friends after a soccer practice, that I ordered and tried it myself- finally. Ooooohhhh Myyyyy!!! The sweet umami fish sauce sticky yet crispy nature of the wings' lightly battered skin was incredible, yielding to full-on flavour moist tender chicken meatiness underneath. As I learned, wings get treated to several hours fish sauce-sugar marination before being battered for maximum flavour penetration. Coming across Rasa Malaysia's version of Pok Pok's legendary chicken wings, I knew this was the perfect starting point. It is this single dish that launched the original Pok Pok Thai-inspired restaurant in Portland Oregon to it's notoriety. I would love to try them one day in their various US locations, however I am more than happy to make them at home for now. Seriously very easy to do. Marinate. Batter. Deep-Fry. Drizzle with sauce. Serve. Happiness all around.
It was a belated birthday celebration weekend for my husband, and I couldn't wait to create a home-cooked Vietnamese dinner offering his favourites like Hot and Soup Soup (Canh Chua) and DIY Shrimp and Pork Salad Rolls and Taro Coconut Tapioca Soup for dessert. My best friend and her family came over to join in the festivity, porting a beautiful chocolate cake too! We were in for a sensory feast.
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| Vietnamese Sticky Fish Sauce Chicken Wings |
I can't say enough about the use of the beautiful vibrant fresh bouquet of herbs. The unique smells and taste of each complementing the very dishes that build the foundation of Vietnamese cuisine. When it's cold and frigid outdoors, this lush bounty surely welcomes a bit of spring indoors.
And it was indeed that kind of brrrr of a weekend! Our first big snow fall and plummeting temps this year.
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| Flip the bag over every half hour to ensure even marination. |
Vietnamese Sticky Fish Sauce Chicken Wings (adapted by Rasa Malaysia)
Serves 4 to 6
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup sugar
5 crushed garlic cloves
1-1/2 lbs. chicken wings, drumettes separated from attached wings and tips
2 Tbsp. oil plus more for frying
1/3 cup cornstarch
3 Tbsp. potato starch
Sticky Sauce:
3 Tbsp. fish sauce
3 Tbsp. sugar
3 minced garlic cloves
garnish with chopped red chilies and lime wedges
In a bowl, whisk the fish sauce, sugar and crushed garlic. Add the wings and toss to coat. Refrigerate for three hours and toss occasionally. Or place all in sealed plastic bag, and flip over several times.
Fry the wings in batches until golden and cooked through ~ 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels and transfer to a bowl.
In a small saucepan, simmer the sticky sauce fish sauce and sugar over moderate heat until syrupy two minutes. Add the chopped garlic and simmer for 30 seconds. Drizzle over wings or toss altogether until well coated. Serve with chopped chilis and/or lime wedges.
As Vietnamese classics go, hot and sour soup (canh chua) is one of the ultimate family dish. It's packed full of contrasts- sweet pineapple, sour tamarind and spicy tom yum paste, crunchy vegetables, aromatic herbs and umami saltiness from fish sauce. The intoxicating sizzle of fried shallots and mixed herbs to top as a garnish just ties the soup's complex flavours together. On this occasion, I forewent the meaty chicken legs, and instead cooked a chicken carcass for 1-1/2 hours for the soup base. As a variation, fish pieces (very popular) and shrimps added to the soup creates another taste dimension with heartiness. You can add vermicelli or rice noodles to make it a meal of noodles in soup.
The main event- DIY Shrimp and Pork Salad Rolls. I picked up roasted pork, asking the deli butcher to slice it thinly and boiled shrimps in water with chopped lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves. The usual suspects of cooked vermicelli coated with sizzling onions and its oil, and a large platter of crunchy aromatic fixin's- lettuce leaves, bean sprouts, cucumber match-sticks, chives, Thai basil, mint, rau ram cilantro and Thai chilies. Make your own rice paper rolls and serve dipped into nuoc mam seasoned fish sauce. Check my Post for how-to.
Full Recipe:
Vietnamese Sticky Fish Sauce Chicken Wings (adapted by Rasa Malaysia)
Serves 4 to 6
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup sugar
5 garlic cloves, crushed
1-1/2 lbs. chicken wings
2 Tbsp. oil plus more for frying
1/3 cup cornstarch
3 Tbsp. potato starch
In a bowl, whisk the fish sauce, sugar and crushed garlic. Add the wings and toss to coat. Refrigerate for three hours and toss occasionally. Or place all in sealed plastic bag, and flip over several times.
In a pot, heat 2 inches of oil to 350°. Oil is ready when skewer inserted into oil, emits shooting tiny bubbles up its sides. Pat the wings dry on paper towels; discard the marinade. Place the corn and potato starches in a shallow bowl, add the wings and turn to coat, shaking off excess.
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| Combining cornstarch with potato starch creates a light crispy batter. |
Fry the wings in batches until golden and cooked through ~ 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels and transfer to a bowl.
In a small saucepan, simmer the sticky sauce fish sauce and sugar over moderate heat until syrupy two minutes. Add the chopped garlic and simmer for 30 seconds. Drizzle over wings or toss altogether until well coated. Serve with chopped chilis and/or lime wedges.
Look at that gorgeous golden-crispy deliciousness!
The garlicky fish sauce-sugar drizzle is a sticky delight. OMG- every loved it!!!
Restaurant-style, home-styled!
You buy this frozen. Thaw and add water to taste for a refreshing Southeast Asian beverage.
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| Love the pieces of young coconut pulp. |
My DB darling best friend preparing the multiple fresh herbs for dinner.
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| My favourite thing ever to do- Cook, Chow and Chit Chat with good friends. |
As Vietnamese classics go, hot and sour soup (canh chua) is one of the ultimate family dish. It's packed full of contrasts- sweet pineapple, sour tamarind and spicy tom yum paste, crunchy vegetables, aromatic herbs and umami saltiness from fish sauce. The intoxicating sizzle of fried shallots and mixed herbs to top as a garnish just ties the soup's complex flavours together. On this occasion, I forewent the meaty chicken legs, and instead cooked a chicken carcass for 1-1/2 hours for the soup base. As a variation, fish pieces (very popular) and shrimps added to the soup creates another taste dimension with heartiness. You can add vermicelli or rice noodles to make it a meal of noodles in soup.
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| The AmaZing combo of fresh veg and herbs to build the trademark of this soup! |
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| Easily peeling the skin off taro stems and sauteing the shallot herb garnish. |
Love the sliced spongy taro stems. They just absorb everything!
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| Love the addition of sweet pineapple. And these were sweet-ripe. Sooo goood! |
Ahhh, the lovely sauteed fried shallots and mixed herbs in a little oil as the final soup finesse-r.
Tangy, sweet, spicy, savoury, crunchy, aromatic, chunky-- heaven in a bowl right there!
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| Vietnamese Hot and Sour Soup (Canh Chua) |
The main event- DIY Shrimp and Pork Salad Rolls. I picked up roasted pork, asking the deli butcher to slice it thinly and boiled shrimps in water with chopped lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves. The usual suspects of cooked vermicelli coated with sizzling onions and its oil, and a large platter of crunchy aromatic fixin's- lettuce leaves, bean sprouts, cucumber match-sticks, chives, Thai basil, mint, rau ram cilantro and Thai chilies. Make your own rice paper rolls and serve dipped into nuoc mam seasoned fish sauce. Check my Post for how-to.
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| Yup, there's crunchy Thai shrimp chips I fried up too :D. So complementary. |
Scenes from the next day with leftovers! Gotta love it!
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| Couldn't believe this mega filling was able to roll up... Skillz haha! |
Full Recipe:
Vietnamese Sticky Fish Sauce Chicken Wings (adapted by Rasa Malaysia)
Serves 4 to 6
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup sugar
5 garlic cloves, crushed
1-1/2 lbs. chicken wings
2 Tbsp. oil plus more for frying
1/3 cup cornstarch
3 Tbsp. potato starch
Sticky Sauce:
3 Tbsp. fish sauce
3 Tbsp. sugar
3 garlic cloves, minced
garnish with chopped red chilies and lime wedges
In a bowl, whisk the fish sauce, sugar and crushed garlic. Add the wings and toss to coat. Refrigerate for three hours and toss occasionally. Or place all in sealed plastic bag, and flip over several times.
In a small saucepan, simmer the sticky sauce fish sauce and sugar over moderate heat until syrupy two minutes. Add the chopped garlic and simmer for 30 seconds. Drizzle over wings or toss altogether in bowl until well coated. Serve with chopped chilis and/or lime wedges.
In a bowl, whisk the fish sauce, sugar and crushed garlic. Add the wings and toss to coat. Refrigerate for three hours and toss occasionally. Or place all in sealed plastic bag, and flip over several times.
In a pot, heat 2 inches of oil to 350°. Oil is ready when skewer inserted into oil, emits shooting tiny bubbles up its sides. Pat the wings dry on paper towels; discard the marinade. Place the corn and potato starches in a shallow bowl, add the wings and turn to coat, shaking off excess. Fry the wings in batches until golden and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels and transfer to a bowl.
In a small saucepan, simmer the sticky sauce fish sauce and sugar over moderate heat until syrupy two minutes. Add the chopped garlic and simmer for 30 seconds. Drizzle over wings or toss altogether in bowl until well coated. Serve with chopped chilis and/or lime wedges.
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