Salt and Pepper Garlic Chicken Wings

It's a cold rainy fall afternoon.  What's better than fried food on a day like this?  Some salt and pepper garlic chicken wings of course!  I must say they are pretty tasty. Now just so you all know, I didn't really measure.  I guess I take after my mom on that.  A lot of Cambodian moms cook without measuring but they always come out so perfect.  So here I tried to estimate as close as I could to what I used so please feel free to adjust to your taste accordingly.

For the batter, I didn't use any flour.  The last time I used flour as batter, it was just too thick for me.  I used cornstarch. I know, I know.. but it came out so perfectly crispy and the batter wasn't overwhelming.  So here are the directions.  Oh yeah,  just a warning...I am a GARLIC LOVER.  I don't know how much you like but I used  A LOT.  

I would love some comments or feedback and hear your story about how your wings turned out and adjustments you needed to make.  Thanks for checking my recipe out!

Ingredients:

• I whole tray of chicken wings, I kept the wing tips on (about 3-4lbs)
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons milk
• 2 cups cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 jalapenos, diced
• 7 garlic cloves, minced
• Vegetable oil for frying

 

 1.  In a medium bowl, combine the cornstarch, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder.  In a separate bowl, combine the eggs and milk.

2.  Heat the oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees.  Dip and moisten each wing in the egg moisture.  Dip into the flour mix.  

3.  In a small pan. heat oil and stir fry the garlic until light brown.  Mix in the jalapenos.  Cook until garlic is a   nice brown color.  

3.  Carefully place the chicken wings in the hot oil.  Fry them for about 15-18 minutes until well browned.  Some of the larger pieces may take just a bit longer.

4.  Remove the chicken wings and place on a plate lined with paper towels.

5.  When ready to serve, put chicken wing on new plate and add garlic and jalapeno mixture over the top.

6.  ENJOY!

Nom Pao aka Steamed Buns

So with all the foods I have been craving lately, I have been reaaallly wanting some steamed buns.  So I decided to make some on a gloomy Saturday afternoon when I told myself I would be packing.  Oh well, I can't pass up on cooking when I have the urge!  I have been feeling like a bum since I got pregnant and it's nice to actually want to cook again.  =)  Here is the recipe i followed which was tweaked a bit..

Nom Pao aka Steamed Buns

 Nom Pao is the Cambodian name for Chinese Steamed Buns.  I used pork, Chinese sausage, and eggs.  I personally don't like too much of the bread and love the filling.  That's why I'd rather make them than buy them.

 **warning- I LOVE garlic and spices, so you may adjust your seasoning to your taste..and these are estimates, I usually don't measure too much**

Ingredients

1 Package of Banh Bao mix (can be found in your local asian store)

1/2 lb of ground pork (or you can buy lean pork and ground it yourself)

3  hard boil eggs, cut into quarters, lengthwise

3 Chinese sausages (cooked), 2 I used sliced, and 1 I diced and put into the filling mixture
1 cup of milk
2 tablespoons vinegar
12 pieces of  wax paper,  cut into 3x3 inches
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup of sugar

 Filling
 

1/2 lb ground pork
1 small onion, diced
2 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoon black pepper

The Dough

Follow the instructions on the back of your package.  

Dissolve the sugar in the milk.  Slowly add the flour mix  (reserve a couple tablespoons for kneading your dough and your workspace).  Knead for about 15 minutes.  Transfer to bowl and cover for about 30 minutes.  Once ready, roll the dough into the shape of a long loaf of bread.  I cut mine evenly into about 12 pieces.  Cover with a damp towel until it is ready for use.

The Filling

Mix together the ground pork, minced garlic, diced onion, oyster sauce, diced Chinese Sausage, and black pepper.

 Forming the bun

Bring a pot of water (this is around 10 cups or so but depends on what type of pot you may be using) and add the vinegar. Allow it to boil.

In the meantime, roll out a piece of the dough thinly with a rolling pin, using the reserved flour to dust your work space and rolling pin.  First lay a couple slice of Chinese sausage. Then add about 1 tablespoon (or more) of filling and top it with an egg quarter.  Gather the sides to the center, twist and pinch and push down gently to seal the bun.   Lay the bun on a piece of wax paper. Keep forming until you have made about 12 buns.

Lay the buns on a steamer, making sure to leave enough space in between because the buns will expand.  Steam the buns for about 20 minutes, lift off the lid, and steam for about another 10 minutes.  Now they are ready to be devoured!  Happy eating!!!