Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken wings (about 10)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 cup beer (not dark)
• 1 tablespoon vegetables oil
• vegetable oil for deep-frying
• parsley sprigs for garnish

Instructions

1. Cut off the wing tips, reserving them for another use such as stock if desired, and halve the wings at the joint. Separate the "drumstick," or first-joint, pieces (the thick ones) from the second-joint pieces. Beginning at the narrower end of each "drumstick," with a sharp knife cut the tendons and, holding the exposed end of the bone with a kitchen towel, scrape the skin and meat down the bone as far as possible toward the thicker end to make a plump drumstick shape. Cut through the cartilage at one end of each second-joint piece, separating the bones, scrape the skin and meat down the large bone to make a plump drumstick shape, and pull out and discard the smaller bone. Arrange all of the "drumsticks" in a shallow dish, sprinkle them with the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste, and let them marinate, covered and chilled, for 1 hour.
2. Make the batter while the chicken is marinating: In a bowl whisk together the flour, the salt, the paprika, the cumin, the pepper, the thyme, and the cayenne and make a well in the center. Add the beer and the oil in a stream, whisking, and whisk the batter until it is smooth. Let the batter stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Stir the batter before using it. In a large deep fryer or large deep kettle heat 2 inches of the oil to 375°F. on a deep-fat thermometer. Dip the chicken in the batter and fry it in the oil, 5 pieces at a time, turning it, for 3 minutes, or until it is cooked through and golden. Transfer the chicken with a slotted spoon as it is fried to paper towels to drain and make sure the oil returns to 375°F. before adding each new batch. Sprinkle the "drumsticks" with salt to taste, arrange them on a platter, and garnish the platter with the parsley sprigs.
3. In a bowl whisk together the flour, the salt, the paprika, the cumin, the pepper, the thyme, and the cayenne and make a well in the center. Add the beer and the oil in a stream, whisking, and whisk the batter until it is smooth. Let the batter stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Stir the batter before using it.
4. In a large deep fryer or large deep kettle heat 2 inches of the oil to 375°F. on a deep-fat thermometer. Dip the chicken in the batter and fry it in the oil, 5 pieces at a time, turning it, for 3 minutes, or until it is cooked through and golden. Transfer the chicken with a slotted spoon as it is fried to paper towels to drain and make sure the oil returns to 375°F. before adding each new batch. Sprinkle the "drumsticks" with salt to taste, arrange them on a platter, and garnish the platter with the parsley sprigs.