Your mother's recipe sounds like the one I normally make. I just posted this reipce few days ago (on the wrong board...) I think it was on the baking board.. Anyway you could give it a go. I also know another Southern style "unfried" chicken similar to this but it uses "buttermilk". If that's the one, I will post it for you...

Michelle
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Caribbean spicy fried chicken

This crispy chicken is superb hot or cold. Serve with a salad or vegetables, it makes a delicious lunch and is ideal for picnics or snacks, too.

Ingredients:
4 chicken drumsticks and 4 chicken wings (or whatever cut you prefer. If you use more chicken, you need to add more spice and salt accordingly.)
1 T. curry powder ( You could use a mild curry powder if you don’t like it too hot.)
1 clove of garlic, finely minced (or 1/2 t. garlic powder)
1/2 t ground black pepper
1/2 t paprika (If it can’t be found, use chili powder or just ignore it.)
enough salt to taste
1 cup milk (roughly)
oil, for deep frying
4 T. plain flour
lemon wedge, to serve

Method:
Place chicken pieces in a bowl and rub curry powder, garlic, black pepper, paprika and salt all over. Then cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight for best result.

Preheat the oven to 180C/250F/Gas 4. Pour enough milk into the bowl to cover the chicken and leave it to stand for a further 15 minutes.

Heat the oil in the wok. Tip the flour on to a plate or a bag. Shake off any excess milk from the chicken and dip each piece in flour. Shake off the excess flour from each piece. Fry 2 or 3 pieces at a time until lightly brown, but NOT cooked. Continue until all the chicken pieces are browned.

Remove the chicken pieces with a slotted spoon and place them on a rack over a baking tray. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes. Then serve with the melon wedges.