Sunday Supper: Kung Pao Drumsticks With Ginger Honey

Makes 4.

Note: These drumsticks are fried, but if you prefer to bake them, do so in a 400-degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes. This recipe is easy to double. All the recipe's sauces are available in the Asian section of most supermarkets. To toast the peanuts, spread them in a dry skillet and cook over medium-high heat for about 1 minute, shaking the pan a few times, until lightly browned. Cool on a plate. From "Cooking Like a Master Chef," by Graham Elliott.

• 1/2 c. honey

• 2 tbsp. minced fresh ginger, divided

• 4 c. canola oil, plus 1 to 2 tbsp., divided

• 1 tbsp. minced shallot

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 1 tsp. mirin

• 1 1/2 tsp. dark soy sauce

• 1 tsp. hoisin sauce

• 1/2 tsp. sambul chili sauce

• 3 green onions, minced

• 4 trimmed chicken drumsticks

Directions

Put the honey and 1 tablespoon ginger in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook gently for about 5 minutes to infuse the honey with the ginger. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cover and set aside.

In another saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Sauté shallot, garlic and remaining 1 tablespoon ginger for 1 to 2 minutes, or until shallot is translucent. Add the vinegar and mirin, and bring to a rapid simmer. Cook for 30 seconds or until reduced by half. Add soy sauce, hoisin and chili sauce, and simmer for 5 minutes longer, or until sauce begins to thicken. Strain sauce into a shallow bowl.

In another bowl, toss green onions with peanuts.

Using tongs, submerge chicken legs in hot oil. Do not crowd the pot (you may have to fry the chicken in 2 batches if the pot is not large). Fry for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the juices run clear when you remove a leg from the oil and pierce its meatiest section with a small, sharp knife. If not done, return leg to the oil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes longer. When done, use tongs to remove the legs and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate.