Place the soy curls in a large bowl and pour the hot vegetable broth over them. Stir briefly to make sure all the soy curls are moistened. Let them soak for 10 minutes, or until fully softened.

Drain the soy curls well. Once they are cool enough to handle, squeeze them firmly with your hands to remove as much excess broth as possible. Work in small handfuls and squeeze thoroughly without tearing the soy curls apart. Removing excess liquid helps them absorb the seasoning and prevents the finished coating from becoming soggy.

Transfer the squeezed soy curls to a clean bowl. Add the soy sauce, neutral oil, and poultry seasoning. Toss thoroughly until all the pieces are evenly coated.

Set aside while you prepare the vegan buttermilk and crispy coating.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond milk and lemon juice. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes to slightly thicken.

Add the coconut sugar and whisk until well combined.

In a large shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, white pepper, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, basil, ginger, celery salt, and cayenne pepper, if using. Mix thoroughly so the seasonings are evenly distributed.

Add the seasoned soy curls to the remaining vegan buttermilk and toss gently until every piece is evenly coated.

Working with a few pieces at a time, lift the soy curls from the buttermilk, allowing the excess to drip off, and transfer them to the flour mixture.

Toss them in the coating, then gently press the flour mixture onto each piece with your fingers. Make sure the soy curls are completely covered and that some of the small flour clumps stick to the surface.

For a thicker, crunchier coating, you can dip the coated soy curls briefly back into the remaining buttermilk and then coat them in the flour mixture a second time. Do this only if you have enough buttermilk and flour mixture remaining.

Pour about 2 inches of frying oil into a heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven. Heat the oil over medium to medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (180°C).

Carefully lower several coated soy curls into the hot oil. Fry in small batches so the pan is not overcrowded and the oil temperature does not drop too much.

Fry for 3 to 4 minutes, gently turning the pieces occasionally, until the coating is deeply golden brown and crisp.

Using a slotted spoon or spider strainer, remove the fried soy curls and transfer them to a wire rack set over a baking sheet or a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Allow the oil to return to 350°F (180°C) before adding the next batch. Repeat until all the soy curls are fried.

Add the vegan mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika (if using), salt, and black pepper to a small bowl.

Whisk thoroughly until smooth and creamy.

Taste and adjust the flavour if needed. Add a little more maple syrup for sweetness, more Dijon mustard for a stronger mustard flavour, or a little more apple cider vinegar for extra tang.

For the best flavour, refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes before serving.