Is it or isn't it Cambodian? Let's call them South Asian wings

We can begin  today, ragazzi, with this question:  when a dish is labelled "Mexican" or "Cuban style"  or "French..." , etc, etc,  what is it about the dish that categorizes it as that ?  Yes, we have some items where we all have to agree that the adjective is fanciful:  "french" fries, for example.  Annlena thinks that everyone probably has some idea of when a characterization is real  and fair (rarely), and when it's fanciful.  For example:  if a dish has garlic and basil in it, is it necessarily Italian?  Of course not.  But we immediately think that, don't we?  If it has tarragon in it:  French, oui?  And we can go on.  Usually, we just make nothing of it, and ignore it.

With the recipe that follows, Annalena is intrigued by the fact that these were called "CAMBODIAN"   red curry wings.  Now, Annalena knows red curry, generally from Thai food.  Indeed, this recipe has many ingredients in it that she thinks of when she thinks of Thai recipes.  So what makes it "Cambodian," especially when the original recipe calls for some ingredients that as far as Annalena knows, are not even South Asian? If anyone out there has ideas, let's have them.

But in the meanwhile, knowing that we are eating the fattest part of the chicken, let's have some of these wings, which are very easys to do, once you get your shopping done.  There's a long list here, but let's get started.  And Annalena wishes to say that this recipe is doubled easily, in case you're having a party.  And these are cause to have one.

Let's start with the wings:  you need two pounds of what are sold as "party wings."  These are the first two joints of the wing, without the little pointy part.  You'll get  10-12 of them in two pounds, and that's enough for four healthy appetites, or six not so virile ones.    Put these aside, while we make our sauce.

We start with 2-3 tablespoons of chopped shallot.  If you are able to get "green" shallots, which are all over the Farmers Market now, use those.  A full sized shallot, or a bunch of the green ones, will give you the quantities you need.    Put this in a bowl, with four chopped cloves of garlic.  Now get two stalks of lemon grass, and peel it all the way down to the tender part , or as tender as it gets.  Chop that up too.    Now, mince two tablespoons of ginger.    Annalena's original recipe calls for two chiles de arbol, and that is indeed what she had in mind.  Essentially, any small dried chilis will do, but keep in mind that they vary in heat.  If you have them around, you have them for your heat sensitivity, and that's what you should use.  Again, if heat is not your thing, get the seeds out of the chili pods.    Break these up, and... yup, combine them with everything else.  So, too, with two tablespoons of soy sauce (tamari, shoyu, etc), and one of fish sauce.  Now add a teaspoon each of cumin and coriander, and half as much paprika, nutmeg (this is not sounding South Asian, now, is it?), and tumeric.  Put this all in a pan with one tablespoon of vegetable oil, and cook for about three minutes.   And... finally... a cup of coconut milk, low fat please, off the heat.

All of this goes into a blender and pureed to smooth.  It won't take long.    Take a few tablespoons of that, mix it with a tablespoon of salt, and put it on the wings.  Mix em up with your hands,  and refrigerate overnight, or for at least a few hours.  Also refrigerate the sauce you made.

When you're ready to cook, get a big pan out - nonstick is best here - and add two tablespoons of vegetable oil.  Swirl it around.  You don't need much because of the fat in the wings.  Heat this at medium, until a wing sizzles when you put it in.  When that happens (maybe four minutes, put all the wings in, lower the heat just a bit, and fry them until they are brown on all sides. You do this by turning them with tongs, every 3 minutes or so.  You may need up to ten minutes to do it.  Then put them on some paper towels to drain.

Add the sauce to the hot pan.  It will spatter, so be careful.  Then add your wings, cover the pan, lower the heat, and cook for 8-10 minutes.  At the end of that time, check the sauce:  is it nice and thick? If it is, you're done.  There really should be no "flow" to the sauce at all.  It should be thick, almost clotted.  If you're not there, let the thing cook for another 2-5 minutes, and then put the wings on a plate, and pour the sauce over them.

Annalena wants you to know that the sauce, when first made, will taste VERY hot.   At the end, however, there is just a bit of "burn," so you heat sissies should not worry.

She knows... she still owes you a nettles recipe.