Soy-Braised Chicken Wings

Ingredients

• 2 (3-inch) pieces ginger, scrubbed, thinly sliced, divided
• ½ cup dark soy sauce, divided
• 2 tsp. Five-Spice Powder, divided
• 20–24 chicken wing pieces (about 2½ lb.)
• 3 Tbsp. vegetable or sunflower oil
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 3 scallions, roots trimmed, halved crosswise
• 5 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 red finger or Fresno chile, halved lengthwise
• 3 oz. Chinese rock or lump sugar or ¼ cup raw sugar
• 3 whole star anise
• 2 pieces dried licorice root (optional)
• 1 (4-inch-long) cassia or cinnamon stick
• ¼ tsp. freshly ground white pepper (optional)
• ¼ tsp. Sichuan peppercorns
• ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• ¼ cup unseasoned rice wine
• Thickly sliced cucumbers (for serving; optional)

Directions

1. Mix half of ginger, ¼ cup dark soy sauce, and 1 tsp. Five-Spice Powder in a medium bowl. Add wings; toss to coat. Cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.
2. Heat oil in a wok or large deep-sided skillet over medium-high. Add shallot, scallions, garlic, chile, and remaining ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add rock sugar, star anise, licorice root (if using), cassia, white pepper (if using), Sichuan peppercorns, and remaining 1 tsp. Five-Spice Powder and stir to combine. Pour in low-sodium soy sauce, remaining ¼ cup dark soy sauce, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.
3. Lift chicken wings out of marinade; discard marinade. Add wings to wok and pour wine over. Stir gently, then bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over medium-low 15 minutes. Gently stir, then cover again and continue cooking until chicken is cooked through and a deep brown color, about 15 minutes longer. Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer wings to a plate.
4. Pour liquid in wok through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl; discard solids. Return strained liquid to wok and bring to a simmer over medium-high. Cook until sauce thickly coats a spoon, 10–12 minutes. Return chicken wings to sauce and toss to coat. Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer to a platter. Serve with cucumbers if using.