You need

• 1 large cauliflower (about 2 lb), cut into 1.5-inch florets
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup unsweetened plain soy milk, plus 1/2 cup cold water
• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs (read the label - some brands carry milk powder or whey)
• Neutral oil for deep frying (about 6 cups)
• 2/3 cup cayenne hot sauce (Frank's RedHot or similar - vegan)
• 4 tbsp vegan butter
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp cider vinegar
• 4 celery ribs, cut into batons, and 1/2 cup vegan ranch, to serve

Method

1. Cut the cauliflower into 1.5-inch florets, each with one flat side. Spread on a tray, leave uncovered 20 minutes, then pat dry with a towel.
2. Whisk the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Pour in the soy milk and cold water and whisk to the thickness of heavy cream. Rest 10 minutes.
3. Heat 3 inches of neutral oil to 350F in a heavy pot. Set a wire rack over a tray.
4. Dip a floret in the batter, let it drip for 3 seconds, then press it into the panko on all sides. Coat only as many as will fit one batch.
5. Fry 6 to 8 pieces at a time for 5 to 6 minutes, until deep gold and a skewer meets slight resistance in the stem. Drain on the rack and salt immediately. Bring the oil back to 350F between batches.
6. Melt the vegan butter over low heat, then whisk in the hot sauce, maple syrup and vinegar until glossy. Do not let it boil or it splits.
7. Toss the wings through the sauce in a wide bowl, 4 or 5 at a time, and serve within two minutes with the celery and vegan ranch.

From behind the bar: Cauliflower is full of water. Let the cut florets sit out 20 minutes and pat them dry - wet florets steam inside the crust and go limp before they reach the sauce.

You need

• 1 lb oyster mushroom clusters
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1.5 tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup unsweetened plain soy or oat milk
• 2 tsp cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp cayenne hot sauce (vegan)
• Neutral oil for deep frying (about 6 cups)
• BBQ sauce: 3/4 cup ketchup, 3 tbsp molasses, 2 tbsp cider vinegar, 1 tbsp yellow mustard, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp black pepper
• Or 1 cup store-bought BBQ sauce - read the label for honey and for Worcestershire sauce, which is usually made with anchovy

Method

1. Tear the clusters along the grain into palm-size pieces, leaving the stems attached so they hold together in the oil. Never use a knife.
2. Lay the pieces in a single layer between two towel-lined trays, weight them with a skillet and press 10 minutes. That water is the enemy of crust.
3. Stir the vinegar into the plant milk and leave 5 minutes to thicken, then whisk in the hot sauce. In a second bowl combine the flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
4. Simmer all the BBQ sauce ingredients in a small pan over low heat for 10 minutes, until it coats the back of a spoon. Keep it warm.
5. Heat 3 inches of oil to 350F. Dredge each piece dry, then wet, then dry again, pressing the second dry coat hard so it clumps. The clumps are the crunch.
6. Fry in batches of 4 or 5 for 4 to 5 minutes, until deep brown and rigid. Drain on a rack and salt while hot.
7. Brush the wings with the warm BBQ sauce rather than dunking them, and put the rest in a bowl for dipping.

From behind the bar: Tear, never cut. A knife gives you flat mushroom steaks. Torn edges catch the batter and fry into the frilly bits everyone fights over.

You need

• 2 lb chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes
• 2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp molasses
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp smoked paprika (for the sauce)
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt (for the sauce)

Method

1. Pat the wings bone-dry with paper towels. Toss with the baking powder, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika and garlic powder until evenly coated.
2. Lay them in a single layer on a wire rack set over a sheet pan and refrigerate uncovered for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. Dry skin is the entire trick, and that time is not counted in the clock below.
3. Combine the ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire, smoked paprika, mustard powder, cayenne and salt in a small saucepan. Simmer over low heat 10 to 12 minutes until it coats a spoon. Hold warm.
4. Heat the oven to 250F (120C) with a rack in the lower third. Bake the wings on their rack for 30 minutes to render the fat out of the skin.
5. Move the pan to the upper third and raise the oven to 425F (220C). Bake 40 to 50 minutes, flipping once halfway, until deep golden.
6. Check the thickest part of a drumette away from the bone. Chicken is safe at 165F (74C); wings eat far better pulled at 175 to 185F (80 to 85C), when the collagen has given up.
7. Drop the oven to 350F (175C). Toss the hot wings with two thirds of the sauce, return them to the rack and bake 5 to 7 minutes to set the glaze. That sauce is mostly sugar and it will scorch at 425F. Serve the rest alongside.

From behind the bar: Trust the thermometer, not the color. 165F/74C is the safety floor for chicken, but wings only stop being chewy somewhere north of 175F.

You need

• 2 lb chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes
• 2 quarts peanut or vegetable oil, for frying
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 cup Frank's RedHot or similar cayenne pepper sauce
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 pinch cayenne
• 1 cup blue cheese dressing and 6 celery ribs, cut into sticks, to serve

Method

1. Pat the wings completely dry and season lightly with salt. If you have an hour, leave them uncovered on a rack in the fridge; drier skin means less spitting and a harder crust.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy pot to 375F (190C) on a deep-fry thermometer. Fill the pot no more than halfway. Keep a lid within reach and never move a pot of hot oil.
3. Fry in batches of 8 to 10 for 10 to 12 minutes, holding the oil between 350 and 365F, until the skin is hard and golden. Internal temperature should read 175F (80C); 165F (74C) is the minimum safe reading.
4. Drain on a wire rack, not paper towels. Let the oil climb back to 375F before the next batch or the second round comes out greasy.
5. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the hot sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire and cayenne until glossy and emulsified. Do not let it boil.
6. Toss the wings with the sauce in a large bowl immediately before serving, and serve with blue cheese and celery.

From behind the bar: Buffalo sauce breaks when the pan runs hot. Keep it under a simmer, and if it splits anyway, pull it off the heat and whisk in a teaspoon of cold butter.

You need

• 2 lb chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 2 quarts peanut or vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 tbsp whole white peppercorns
• 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 2 tsp kosher salt (for the pepper salt)
• 1/2 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 red chili, thinly sliced
• 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
• 3 scallions, whites and greens separated, sliced

Method

1. Toss the wings with the Shaoxing wine, salt, white pepper and ginger. Cover and leave 30 minutes in the fridge. Raw chicken does not sit on the counter.
2. Toast the white and Sichuan peppercorns in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until you can smell them. Cool, then grind with the 2 tsp salt and the five-spice. Set this pepper salt aside.
3. Dredge the wings in cornstarch and shake off every bit of excess. Caked cornstarch fries into paste.
4. Heat the frying oil to 325F (163C) in a heavy pot filled no more than halfway. Fry in batches for 8 to 9 minutes until pale gold and cooked through, 175F (80C) at the thickest point; 165F (74C) is the safety minimum. Rest on a rack for 5 minutes.
5. Raise the oil to 375F (190C) and fry the wings a second time, 2 to 3 minutes, until deep gold and hard-crisp. Drain on the rack.
6. Heat the 2 tbsp neutral oil in a wok or wide skillet over medium-high. Add the garlic, chilies and scallion whites and stir 30 to 45 seconds, until fragrant but not browned.
7. Add the wings and 2 to 3 tsp of the pepper salt. Toss hard for 30 seconds, kill the heat, fold in the scallion greens and serve. Keep the leftover pepper salt on the table.

From behind the bar: Toast the peppercorns whole and grind them yourself. Pre-ground white pepper is dust with no top notes, and this dish is mostly top notes.

You need

• 2 lb chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes
• 2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup cayenne pepper hot sauce
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 2 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed

Method

1. Pat the wings very dry and toss with the baking powder, salt and garlic powder until there are no white patches left.
2. Arrange them skin side up in the air fryer basket in a single layer, not touching. Work in two batches if you have to; a crowded basket steams.
3. Air fry at 380F (193C) for 12 minutes. Flip the wings, raise to 400F (205C) and cook another 8 to 10 minutes until browned and blistered.
4. Check the thickest wing: 175F (80C) is the target, 165F (74C) is the safety minimum for chicken.
5. While they cook, combine the honey, hot sauce, vinegar, pepper flakes and cayenne in a small saucepan. Simmer gently 3 to 4 minutes until it coats a spoon, then pull it off the heat and whisk in the cold butter.
6. Toss the hot wings in the glaze. For a sticky finish rather than a wet one, return them to the basket for 2 minutes at 400F and watch them; honey goes from lacquer to carbon quickly.
7. Rest 2 minutes before eating. That glaze is molten sugar and it does not forgive impatience.

From behind the bar: Do not crowd the basket. Wings need air on all sides, and two honest batches beat one sad steamed pile every time.

You need

• 2 lb chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 1/4 cup superfine or granulated sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp water
• 3 tbsp neutral oil
• 2 tbsp thinly sliced garlic
• 3/4 cup rice flour
• 2 quarts peanut or vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• 2 limes, cut into wedges, to serve

Method

1. Whisk the fish sauce, sugar and crushed garlic until the sugar dissolves. Add the wings, seal in a bag or covered bowl, and marinate in the fridge 4 to 24 hours.
2. Drain the wings over a bowl and keep the marinade. Pat the wings until they are tacky rather than wet.
3. Pour the reserved marinade into a small saucepan with the 2 tbsp water. Bring it to a hard rolling boil and reduce 5 to 8 minutes to a loose syrup. It held raw chicken, so it has to boil properly. Stir in the lime juice and keep it warm.
4. Warm the 3 tbsp neutral oil in a small pan over medium heat and fry the sliced garlic 2 to 3 minutes until pale gold. Lift it onto paper towels early; it keeps cooking and burnt garlic is bitter.
5. Dredge the wings in rice flour and shake off the excess. Heat the frying oil to 350F (177C) in a heavy pot filled no more than halfway.
6. Fry in batches for 12 to 14 minutes until deep gold and 175F (80C) internal; 165F (74C) is the safety floor for chicken. Sugar clings to the skin from the marinade, so go by temperature and pull them early if the color runs ahead. Drain on a wire rack.
7. Toss the hot wings with the glaze, the fried garlic, the cilantro and the pepper flakes if you want them. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

From behind the bar: Stop reducing while the glaze still runs off a spoon. It sets much thicker as it cools; if it seizes up, loosen it with a spoonful of hot water.

You need

• 2 lb (900 g) chicken wings, split
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp ground white pepper
• 1/2 cup rice flour
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 10 garlic cloves, sliced thin
• Neutral oil for frying
• Lime wedges
• Sliced bird's eye chilies (optional)

Method

1. Toss wings with fish sauce, sugar and white pepper. Refrigerate 30 minutes to 2 hours. Longer and they cure into something too salty.
2. Heat 2 inches of oil to 275F/135C. Fry the sliced garlic until pale gold, 2-3 minutes, then lift it out onto paper. It keeps browning off the heat.
3. Raise the oil to 350F/175C. Drain the wings, shake them in rice flour and cornstarch, knock off the excess.
4. Fry in batches 9-11 minutes, until deep amber and the thickest part reads 165F/74C. Keep the oil above 325F/163C between batches.
5. Drain 1 minute, then toss hot with the fried garlic and a pinch of white pepper.
6. Serve with lime wedges and chilies. Eat them immediately; the crust goes soft in ten minutes.

Where you'd actually eat it: Beer bars off Banthat Thong and the late shophouses on Charoen Krung. Chang or Leo, poured over ice, refilled before you notice.

From behind the bar: Dry the wings hard before the marinade. Water in the skin means a pale crust and a spitting pot.

You need

• 1.2 kg / 2.5 lb chicken wings, tips removed, split at the joint
• 150 g / 2/3 cup full-fat yogurt
• 2 tbsp biber salçası (Turkish red pepper paste)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, grated
• 1 onion, grated, juice only
• 1 tbsp pul biber
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper
• Sumac and sliced red onion, to serve
• Lavash or pide bread

Method

1. Whisk yogurt, both pastes, oil, garlic, onion juice, pul biber, cumin, salt and pepper into a thick marinade.
2. Coat the wings, cover, refrigerate 4 hours minimum, overnight preferred. The yogurt acid does real work on the texture.
3. Build a charcoal fire and let it burn down to grey-ashed coals — flaming charcoal turns the pepper paste bitter in seconds. Set the grate about 12 cm above the coals.
4. Wipe the excess marinade off each wing. Thick clumps burn before the meat cooks.
5. Grill 16-22 minutes total, turning every 4 minutes, moving pieces off direct heat if flare-ups start.
6. Check the thickest part against the bone: 165F/74C is the safe minimum, but wings eat far better pulled at 175F/80C, once the connective tissue has actually rendered.
7. Pile onto flatbread, top with sumac onions, rest 3 minutes, serve with lemon.

Where you'd actually eat it: Ocakbaşı grill houses in Beyoğlu, Kadıköy and out toward Aksaray, where the grill sits in the middle of the room. Beer, or raki if the table insists.

From behind the bar: No charcoal: oven at 425F/220C on a rack for 30 minutes, then 3 minutes under a hot broiler. Close enough, but you lose the smoke and you will know it.

You need

• 1.2kg chicken wings, split at the joint
• 8 dried or fresh piri-piri (bird's eye) chiles
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp coarse salt
• 120ml olive oil
• 4 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 2 bay leaves, crumbled
• 1 lemon
• black pepper

Method

1. Make the piri-piri: pound the chiles, garlic and salt to a paste, then whisk in the olive oil, vinegar, paprika, crumbled bay and a squeeze of lemon. It should be a loose, sharp, split sauce. Let it sit an hour.
2. Set aside a third of the sauce in a separate covered bowl for finishing. Toss the wings in the rest and marinate 2-4 hours in the fridge.
3. Heat the oven to 425F/220C. Arrange the wings on a rack over a sheet pan, skin up, in one layer.
4. Roast 30-35 minutes, turning once, until the skin is browned and blistered and the thickest part reads 165F/74C on a thermometer.
5. For char, finish 3-4 minutes under the broiler or 5 minutes over hot charcoal.
6. Brush with the reserved sauce off the heat, add another squeeze of lemon, and serve with bread and cold beer.
7. Substitution note: if you cannot find piri-piri chiles, Thai bird chiles are the closest in heat and shape. Cayenne powder is not.

Where you'd actually eat it: Churrasqueiras and beer halls all over the city; Bonjardim off Restauradores is the famous one, for whole birds. Wings are the counter portion, with an imperial and fries.

From behind the bar: Split the sauce before the chicken touches it. Anything that has been near raw chicken does not go on the finished plate.

You need

• 900 g chicken wings, split into flats and drums
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 1/2 cup potato starch
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• Neutral oil for deep frying
• 3 tbsp gochujang
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 2 tbsp rice syrup or corn syrup
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Method

1. Toss wings with salt, pepper and ginger. Rest 20 minutes at room temperature, then pat dry.
2. Combine potato starch and flour. Coat wings, pressing the dry mix into every crease, and shake off the excess.
3. Heat 2 inches of oil to 325F/163C. Fry in two batches, 8 to 10 minutes each, until pale gold. Drain on a rack for 5 minutes.
4. Raise the oil to 375F/190C. Fry each batch a second time for 2 to 3 minutes until deep gold and hard to the touch. Internal temperature must read 165F/74C at the thickest part, clear of the bone.
5. Simmer gochujang, ketchup, syrup, soy, vinegar and garlic in a wide pan over medium heat for 2 minutes, until it coats a spoon.
6. Kill the heat, add sesame oil, then fold in the wings so every piece is lacquered. Sesame seeds on top. Serve inside 5 minutes.

Where you'd actually eat it: Any chicken shop in Seoul will sell you a half-and-half order: half plain, half glazed. Get it delivered to the Han River park at Yeouido with a crate of cold Cass and let the wind do the rest.

From behind the bar: Potato starch, not cornstarch. It is what gives Korean fried chicken that glassy shell that survives the sauce for more than a minute.

You need

• 800 g chicken feet, nails trimmed
• 2 tbsp soju or cooking wine
• 1 thumb ginger, sliced
• 4 tbsp gochujang
• 4 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice syrup
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• Sesame seeds and chopped scallion to finish

Method

1. Scrub the feet, then blanch in boiling water with the soju and ginger for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water.
2. Return to the pot with fresh water to cover. Simmer 30 minutes until the skin is tender and slightly gelatinous. Drain well.
3. Mix gochujang, gochugaru, soy, syrup, sugar, garlic and pepper into a thick paste.
4. Toss the drained feet with the paste in a wide pan over medium heat, 6 to 8 minutes, until the sauce clings and darkens and the feet are heated through past 165F/74C.
5. Spread on a foil-lined tray and broil 4 inches from the element for 3 to 4 minutes, until the edges blister.
6. Finish with sesame oil, sesame seeds and scallion. Serve with steamed egg custard or plain rice to put the fire out.

Where you'd actually eat it: Sindang-dong and the old alleys behind Konkuk University run on this. Soju, cold water, and a bowl of steamed egg custard on the side to survive it.

From behind the bar: Boneless feet (무뼈닭발) are sold frozen at Korean groceries and skip the braise. Thaw fully, then start at step four.