Cut off the tip of each wing and discard. Segment the wing at the joint, so you’re left with two pieces. After this is done you should have about 3 pounds of chicken. Put the chicken in a large bowl and mix well with the salt, pepper, ginger, and garlic. Let stand for a couple minutes.

Meanwhile, put enough vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot to have about 3-inches of oil, and heat it up for 7 to 8 minutes over high heat, or until a thermometer reaches 350 degrees F. While the oil is heating up, put the potato starch in a bowl and dip each wing in the powder to coat it, one by one. Press the coating onto each wing by gently squeezing it to make sure it adheres well.

If you don’t have an oil thermometer, check to see if the oil’s ready by dipping part of a wing into it. If the oil bubbles right away, it’s hot enough to start frying. In batches, slide the coated wings one by one into the hot oil and cook for about 10-12 minutes, turning over a few times with tongs. If you overcrowd the pot, the temperature of the oil will drop too much. Take the wings out of the oil and place them on a cooling rack set over a tray. Turn off the heat, and let the wings sit for a few minutes. Skim the oil to remove any bits of cooked potato starch.

Meanwhile make the sauce by heating a small pot over medium high heat. Add the 2 teaspoons of sesame oil, minced garlic, ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes. Saute until fragrant, for about 30 seconds. Mix the soy sauce, corn syrup, and vinegar together and add to the pot. Stir with a wooden spoon and let it bubble on low for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, but do not let it get too thick. You still want it to be a little runny so it can coat the all the chicken pieces easily. Add the brown sugar and continue stirring for about 30 seconds to 1 minute more. Turn off the heat and season lightly with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Reheat the oil to 350-375 degrees F and fry the wings again for another 8-10 minutes until they all look golden brown and feel crunchy to the touch. If your pot is not large enough to fry all the chicken at once, divide it into batches. Add more oil as needed. Place onto the cooling rack again as they come out of the oil. If you are not making a sauce, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper or seasoning of your choice while the wings are still hot. If you are using the sauce, do not season your wings. Place wings in a large bowl. Drizzle wings with the slightly cooled sauce and toss well to evenly distribute. Place on a serving platter and garnish with sesame seeds and chopped scallions.