Cola chicken wings

Use thawed raw wings without rinsing under running water. Pat dry and make shallow skin cuts if needed. Mix with about three quarters of the light soy sauce, cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 10 min. Wash hands and equipment after raw poultry.

Drain surface marinade and place the wings skin-side down in a cold nonstick pan with the ginger. Heat gently to render the skin fat, then turn with tongs until pale golden on both sides. This version uses no added oil; do not tear wings forcibly from the pan.

Off the heat, carefully add the cola, cooking wine, sugar, salt, remaining light soy and optional dark soy. Use a pan that lets the liquid mostly cover the wings, dividing into batches if necessary. Bring to a boil and skim foam.

Maintain gentle bubbling over medium-low heat and turn the wings occasionally. Check the thickest meat with a thermometer away from bone and continue until it reaches 74°C. If liquid runs low before the meat cooks, add a little hot water and continue.

After checking doneness, remove the ginger and reduce the sauce over medium-low heat, turning frequently. Stop when it lightly coats the wings rather than cooking to hard threads or burnt sugar. Plate and cool slightly before eating.