This brilliant ketchup is a great way of using up over-ripe bananas that’s not banana bread. It keeps well in the fridge for three months and goes well with all sorts: ribs, burgers, grilled cheese. The baking powder is a neat trick (for those who don’t know it already) to get your wings crisp. You’ll need a glass jar with a lid that’s big enough to hold 600g sauce.

Prep 25 min
Marinate 3 hr+
Cook 45 min
Serves 4

For the banana ketchup
3 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced (180g)
2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
3 large red chillies, roughly chopped (60g)
20g fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
90g tomato paste
1½ tsp ground allspice
5 large overripe bananas (about 650g), peeled, flesh mashed with a fork
150ml rice-wine vinegar
90g dark brown sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce

For the wings
2 limes, one juiced, to get 2 tbsp, the other cut into quarters, to serve
1 tbsp maple syrup
7 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed (25g)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp water
2 tbsp olive oil
200g banana ketchup (see above)
Salt
1.5 kg chicken wings, tips cut off

For the spring onion salad
50g spring onions, trimmed and sliced thinly at an angle
1 lime, juiced, to get 2 tbsp
½ tbsp olive oil

First make the ketchup. In a large saucepan, heat the oil on a medium-high heat, then saute the onions, garlic, chilli and ginger, stirring often, for 15 minutes, until the onions are soft and lightly golden. Add the tomato paste and allspice, cook for two minutes, then add the mashed banana, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce and fish sauce, and cook for another 15 minutes, until bubbling. Take off the heat, blitz in a food processor until smooth, then pour into a large sterilised glass jar and seal. Leave to cool at room temperature for at least an hour before using.

In a large bowl, mix the lime juice, maple syrup, garlic, baking powder, chilli, water, oil, ketchup and a teaspoon and a half of salt (if the ketchup seems too thick, thin it out with a tablespoon or two of water first). Add the wings to the bowl, toss to coat, then cover and put in the fridge to marinate for at least three hours and up to overnight.

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Cover a large baking tray with foil and place a large baking rack on top. Arrange the wings on the rack and brush with the marinade left in the bowl. Bake for 20 minutes, then turn up the oven to 240C (220C fan)/475F/gas 9 and bake for 10 minutes more. Using tongs, flip the wings over, brush with the last of the marinade and cook for another 10 minutes, until crisp all over and with dark edges.

Mix all the salad ingredients in a small bowl with a quarter-teaspoon of salt, then scatter half the salad over the surface of a large plate. Arrange the wings on top, then scatter with the rest of the salad and any dressing. Serve with the lime wedges for squeezing and a bowl of some of the remaining ketchup for dipping.