The word on fried bird

But the dish that stole his heart was chef Asha Gomez’s tender, aromatic Keralan-style chicken, which comes splayed across a cardamom-scented waffle and doused with a spice-infused maple syrup. “Her chicken truly is probably my favorite — not only one of the most unique recipes in the book but one of the best,” Schrager rhapsodizes of the India native’s riff on American chicken and waffles. “I mean that green emerald chicken and that waffle that she serves are just extraordinary.”

Though Gomez recently closed her Cardamom Hill restaurant, the brilliant dish will live on at Spice Road Kitchen, scheduled for a fall opening at Krog Street Market. In the meantime, you may see it occasionally at her just-opened Indian patisserie, Spice to Table, in the Old Fourth Ward. Or you can use Schrager’s book to make it at home.

Schrager, a New York native who now divides his time between Miami and New York City, wasn’t a fried-chicken cook until recently. But that is not to say that he was not a fried-chicken lover.

He remembers his parents ordering out from a place called Chicken Delight on Long Island. A pile of chicken — plus “long crispy French fries and Parker House rolls” — would arrive between two stapled-together white cardboard plates. “So by the time we got it, it had been steaming, and everything just tasted so delicious,” Schrager says, describing the greasy mess so authentically that you want to hand him a napkin.

And who else would brag about getting thrown out of a Howard Johnson’s? The offense, he chuckles, was scarfing too much chicken from the all-you-can-eat buffet.

Though you can barely flip through “Fried & True” without seeing a recipe with an Atlanta connection, the book is a sampling from across America. Jacques Pepin’s Fried Chicken Southern-Style with Corn Bread Sticks and Thomas Keller’s Buttermilk Fried Chicken sit alongside recipes from the chicken shacks of Nashville and New Orleans.

There’s a chapter on Pacific Rim flavors (including a delicious and super-easy Vietnamese fried chicken that I tested for this story). And instructions for chicken wings, chicken sandwiches, fried chicken skins, schnitzel and so on.

A Culinary Institute of America graduate, Schrager worked for 20 years with InterContinental Hotels and is now vice president of corporate communications at Southern Wine & Spirits (an alcohol-beverage distributor), where he founded both the Food Network South Beach and the New York City Wine & Food Festivals.

At the 2011 festival in New York, he started Chicken Coupe, a showcase for fried chicken. Eventually, he hatched the book.

Before immersing himself in research, Schrager mostly avoided frying chicken. Like many cooks, he found it to be a hot, messy endeavor. Now he’s such convert that he recently shipped his favorite his iron skillet to his summer home in New York.

“It’s no longer a task,” he says. “If you know what you are doing, follow the directions and have the right temperature, anyone can fry a chicken.”

Fried & true recipes

Author Lee Brian Schrager offers tips for frying the best bird. Make sure the oil is hot enough — for each batch. Don’t crowd the pan. Use a small chicken or cut up large pieces. (It cooks quicker and won’t dry out.) Use cold chicken. (“It fries up crunchier.”) And his favorite tip: Boil a pot of water with cinnamon sticks, cloves, etc. (“It really works in taking the grease out of the air.”) Here, then, are three delicious recipes from his new book, “Fried & True: More Than 50 Recipes for America’s Best Fried Chicken and Sides” (Clarkson Potter, $22.50).

Asha Gomez’s Keralan Fried Chicken, Lowcountry Cardamom Waffles and Spicy Maple Syrup

Hands on: 70 minutes

Total time: 25 hours, 10 minutes (includes marinade time)

Serves: 8

You’ll need to plan ahead for this dish. It takes a full 24 hours to marinate the chicken and infuse the syrup. But it’s worth the effort. Unsweetened malt powder (also known as diastatic malt powder) can be found online. The original recipe called for twice this amount of syrup, so feel free to double up. But we found 1 cup to be plenty.

For the spicy maple syrup

1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds, coarsely ground

1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds, coarsely ground

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup maple syrup

For the waffles

1½ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup rice flour

¼ cup unsweetened malt powder (available online)

2 tablespoons (packed) light brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

2½ cups buttermilk

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled,

plus more for greasing the waffle iron

½ cup cooked basmati or white rice

For the chicken

2 cups buttermilk

10 garlic cloves

1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled

6 whole Serrano (or 3 large jalapeño) peppers (seeded if desired)

Bunch of fresh cilantro

Bunch of fresh mint

2 tablespoons kosher salt

8 boneless, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)

Vegetable oil, for frying

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

2 stems fresh curry leaves (optional)

To make the syrup: Toast the cumin seeds, coriander seeds and red pepper flakes in a dry, hot medium skillet until fragrant and the seeds begin to pop, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk the toasted spices into the maple syrup and let the syrup infuse at room temperature for 24 hours.

To make the waffles: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, rice flour, malt powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs; then add the buttermilk and melted butter and whisk again. Slowly whisk the wet mixture into the dry ingredients; then add the cooked rice, whisking just until combined. Cover and let the batter rest for about 1 hour at room temperature. Heat a waffle iron and brush with melted butter. For each waffle, ladle ½ cup batter into the waffle iron and cook until crisp and golden, 4 to 5 minutes.

To make the chicken: In a blender, purée the buttermilk, garlic, ginger, peppers, cilantro, mint and salt until smooth. Place the chicken in a large glass dish or bowl, pour the buttermilk purée over the chicken, toss to coat and marinate for 24 hours.

Fill a large (12-inch) cast-iron skillet with 1⁄3 inch oil and gently heat to 300 degrees. Set a wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet and set aside. While the oil is heating, remove the chicken from the buttermilk purée, gently shake off excess and dredge each piece in flour. Place the chicken in the skillet, skin side down; the oil should come halfway up the pan. Cook the chicken until it turns golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes per side. Drain the chicken on the rack and drizzle with the melted coconut oil. While the chicken is draining, crisp the curry leaves by frying in the oil until crisp, 10 to 15 seconds.

To serve: Place a piece of hot chicken on waffle, and drizzle with spiced syrup. Garnish with the fried curry leaves (if using).

Per serving: 968 calories (percent of calories from fat, 49), 35 grams protein, 88 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 53 grams fat (16 grams saturated), 189 milligrams cholesterol, 1,226 milligrams sodium.

Hy Vong’s Fried Chicken

Hands-on: 5 minutes

Total time: 25 minutes

Serves: 4

To avoid splatters, be sure to dry the chicken with paper towels before frying and use a wok or a large, deep pot.

Canola oil, for frying

1 whole chicken, cut into quarters

1 cup best-quality chicken stock, preferably homemade

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup finely chopped jalapeño or serrano peppers, seeded if desired

½ cup chopped scallions (white and green parts)

Heat 1 inch oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Dry the chicken thoroughly

with paper towels. Add the chicken and pan-fry, without moving, until the bottom skin is golden and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Flip the pieces and cook on the other side, an additional 8 to 10 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, make the sauce: In a small saucepan, bring the stock, soy sauce and jalapeños to a simmer. Arrange the chicken on a platter, pour the sauce over the top, and garnish with scallions. Serve immediately.

Per serving: 466 calories (percent of calories from fat, 71), 31 grams protein, 2 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 36 grams fat (4 grams saturated), 89 milligrams cholesterol, 1,228 milligrams sodium.

Art Smith’s Fried Chicken and Swiss Chard Salad with Pine Nuts and Lemon

Hands on: 1 hour

Total time: 25 to 49 hours (including 24-hour or 48-hour marinade time)

Serves: 4

Chicago chef Art Smith’s crispy classic is reminiscent of grandma’s, and the green salad is a nice foil to the rich bird.

For the spice mix

2 tablespoons paprika

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the chicken

2 cups buttermilk

2 tablespoons kosher salt

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks

4 cups vegetable oil, for frying

2 cups self-rising flour

To make the spice mix: In a small bowl, combine the paprika, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Set aside.

To brine the chicken: In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, 1 tablespoon of the salt, and 2 tablespoons of the spice mix. Place all the chicken pieces in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. Pour the buttermilk mixture over the chicken, seal, and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours.

To fry the chicken: In a large, high-sided skillet, slowly heat the oil to 325 degrees. Place the flour in a large bowl and stir in the remaining spice mix and the remaining 1 tablespoon of salt. Set a wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet and set aside. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk brine and dredge in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess, then dredge again in the flour to form a double crust. Working in batches, gently place the chicken into the hot oil; the temperature will drop to 265 to 275 degrees. Fry the chicken until deep brown and crisp, 12 to 14 minutes for the first side and 10 to 12 minutes for the other side. Transfer the fried pieces to the rack and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve with salad.

Per serving, chicken only: 1,025 calories (percent of calories from fat, 68), 52 grams protein, 30 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 77 grams fat (15 grams saturated), 219 milligrams cholesterol, 1,121 milligrams sodium.

Swiss Chard Salad with Pine Nuts and Lemon

Hands on: 10 minutes

Total time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4

This salad is easy to put together while the fried chicken rests for a few minutes.

8 large Swiss chard leaves (about 3/4 pound), trimmed and thinly shredded crosswise

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, or more to taste

1/4 cup lightly toasted pine nuts

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, toss the chard, oil and lemon juice. Add the cheese and pine nuts and toss to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Per serving: 209 calories (percent of calories from fat, 80), 6 grams protein, 5 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 19 grams fat (3 grams saturated), 4 milligrams cholesterol, 275 milligrams sodium.

All recipes adapted from “Fried & True: More Than 50 Recipes for America’s Best Fried Chicken and Sides” by Lee Brian Schrager (Clarkson Potter, $22.50).