Chicken wings are generally separated into two different cuts for cooking: drumettes and flats.

If your wings are not already separated, you can keep them whole, but they're far easier to eat if you break them down before cooking.

To do this, put a chicken wing flat on a board, then pick up the drumette end, so the wing stretches out into a natural V. Using a large, sharp knife, feel around for the point of least resistance in the joint and cut down vertically with a decisive stroke.

For the crispest results, air dry the wings before cooking – you can do this before or after separating them or, if you don't have the time, skip this step entirely.

Spread out the wings on a rack set above a tray or bowl, then put in the fridge uncovered for between one and 12 hours.

For the coating sauce, melt the butter in a small pan on a medium-low heat.

Peel and crush the garlic, then fry it in the hot butter until it's fragrant but not coloured.

Pour in the hot sauce and taste the sauce: if it's already very tangy or sweet, you may like to adjust the amounts of sugar and vinegar accordingly.

Take off the heat and set aside.

Mash the cheese with the soured cream until the mix is fairly loose, then stir in the remaining ingredients and adjust the seasoning to taste.

Fill a large pan by a third with neutral oil and heat it to 170C.

Pat the wings dry, then fry in batches for 10-12 minutes, until golden and crisp all over.

Once the first batch of wings is ready, keep them warm on a lined tray in the oven while you fry the rest of the wings.

Put all the cooked chicken on a platter, drizzle over the hot sauce and serve with the dip.