Who loves chicken feet? Well, foung jau ι³³ηͺ or phoenix claw to be literal exact? It's an off cut chicken delicacy prized in Chinese culture and more so with dim sum aficionados. Plump, aromatic savoury, fermented black beans dotting glistening bbq red wrinkled skin giving way to gelatinous, cartilage and tiny bones we happily but politely (hand covering mouth) chew around, spit out and collect on the side of our plates in dim sum restaurants. And they give you a healthy dose of collagen :). If that sounds like you, read on and discover how to make this right at home. Yes, it's alot of steps and I haven't quite mastered the recipe yet (adapted by Daddy Lau Cantonese chef of 50+ years in popular YouTube channel "Made With Lau"). But after finally trying my hands on it, I have yet to get it just right missing the amount of one ingredient-- next time. I'll bet that at least after this labourous recipe read you will have greater appreciation-- covering the myriad of all-in-one Chinese cooking techniques (blanching, deep frying, stir frying, braising and steaming ♨️) in this very humble dish taking questionable feet for food into a delectable one you will come back to again and again!
Chinese Dim Sum Steamed Chicken Feet ι³³ηͺ (adapted by Made With Lau)
1 kg chicken feet (look for plump firm feet with clean white skin)
6 cloves garlic, smashed and cut in half
12 thin ginger slices, cut in half
2 stalks green onion, cut into 3" pieces
2 shallots, peeled and halved
1/4 cup fermented black beans, rinsed and soaked with a little water to cover
4 piece star anise
2 Tbsp. honey (can substitute with maltose)
2 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine 2 to 4 whole chili pepper (to your liking)
thin slivers of red bell pepper
2 cups neutral cooking oil reserving 2 Tbsp. after
6 cups water
Sauce:
2 Tbsp. black bean sauce with garlic
4 Tbsp. oyster sauce
4 Tbsp. light soy sauce
2 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine
2 Tbsp. dark soy sauce
4 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
2 tsp. chili sauce
Parboil chicken feet: Add 4 cups of cold water to a large pot or wok. Add ginger, green onion, honey, and
cooking wine. Note: The aromatics and cooking wine help reduce gaminess
and add flavour, while the honey helps the chicken feet brown more beautifully
during the frying step.
Add the chicken feet and bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Once
it has come to a boil, lower the heat and cook
for about 2 minutes. Take the chicken feet out. Discard the blanching water and other solids.
 |
| These feet are on the skinny side :/ |
Meanwhile, in a bowl combine black bean sauce, oyster sauce, soy
sauce, Shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce,
sugar, salt, hoisin sauce, and chili sauce.
Prepare your work surface with a clean, dry paper towel. You can use either
kitchen shears or a knife to trim the nails from each toe of the chicken foot.
Carefully cut off all of the hard nail, getting as much as you can without
cutting into the skin of the chicken foot.
Then, set the
trimmed chicken foot down on the paper towel. Note: trimming nails after blanching is easier and because if you trim
the nails first, the skin tends to shrink back during the frying step, resulting in
a less appealing look and texture.
Once you’ve trimmed all the chicken feet, use the paper towel to pat the
chicken feet thoroughly dry. Note: the more moisture you get off the surface now,
the more oil splatter you can prevent in the following step.
Heat your wok or pot on high heat.
Add oil and heat on medium-high until it has reached 350° F or when wooden skewer inserted- small,
rapid bubbles come up its sides. While the oil is heating up, fill a medium-sized mixing bowl with ice and
water to shock the chicken feet once they’re done frying.
Carefully, cooking in batches, place your chicken feet in and cover them
with a lid to reduce splatter. After 2 to 3 minutes, rotate and flip the chicken feet to get an even fry all over.
Remove the feet from the oil with a metal strainer when they take on a beautiful golden-brown
colour. Note: you can also tell that they are ready when the oil starts to calm down.
Immediately transfer the fried chicken feet into your bowl of cold ice water.
Leave them soaking in the cold water for 10 minutes. Repeat until chicken feet are all fried and soaking.
 |
| Soaking helps the skin soften and fill out |
Meanwhile, carefully pour out the hot oil into a heat-resistant bowl (let cool to store and cook with later). You don’t need to wash or
even thoroughly wipe the wok down; we’ll continue frying in there soon.
Start boiling water (6 cups) now for the
braising step later.
Note: If you are working with big feet, cut each chicken foot in half to make them more bite-sized for easier eating.
To cut the feet, slice your knife into the “palm” of the feet so that you see two
toes on each side of the knife.
Pause before you try to get through the bone, anchoring the right spot and
ensuring that your knife is angled safely straight down. Then, use your hand
to press down on the back of the knife, so you have the strength and leverage
to cut through the foot.
Heat the wok again on high and add in reserved 2 Tbsp. oil. Fry the ginger for about 30 seconds, then add in the garlic, green
onions, and chili peppers. Add shallots and the star anise. Add most
of the fermented black beans; reserve just a few pieces to top off your dish
with later.
Carefully pour in the sauce, then fry for about 45 seconds.
Add the chicken feet in, then stir-fry thoroughly so everything is well-mixed and the chicken feet are thoroughly coated in sauce and aromatics. Note: I transferred to a pot to make cooking easier and compact in a tight fitting vessel. Add enough hot water (6 cups) to just barely cover all the ingredients. Bring everything to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, turn the heat down to medium. Cover with a lid and braise on medium heat for 45 minutes.
Once the chicken feet are done braising, dig in! But if you want to go an extra step to really replicate the restaurant experience, you can keep going. For garnish, cut red bell pepper into small, cute slices. This will give a beautiful pop of colour without any surprise heat. You can use a spicy pepper if you like. Arrange your chicken feet and sauce in a heat-safe bowl for steaming. Top with your slivers of red bell pepper and reserved fermented black beans. In a large wok with a rack or steamer, bring water to a boil. Place the chicken feet in the steamer, and steam for 10 minutes with the lid on. Enjoy!
 |
| Note I was short on fermented black beans |
Haha, in our household anything goes... and that could mean hamburgers with a side of chicken feet π!!
Full Recipe:
Chinese Dim Sum Steamed Chicken Feet ι³³ηͺ (adapted by Made With Lau)
Serves 6 to 8
1 kg chicken feet (look for plump firm feet with clean white skin)
6 cloves garlic, smashed and cut in half
12 thin ginger slices, cut in half
2 stalks green onion, cut into 3" pieces
2 shallots, peeled and halved
1/4 cup fermented black beans, rinsed and soaked with a little water to cover
4 piece star anise
2 Tbsp. honey (can substitute with maltose)
2 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine 2 to 4 whole chili pepper (to your liking)
thin slivers of red bell pepper
2 cups neutral cooking oil reserving 2 Tbsp. after
6 cups water
Sauce:
2 Tbsp. black bean sauce with garlic
4 Tbsp. oyster sauce
4 Tbsp. light soy sauce
2 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine
2 Tbsp. dark soy sauce
4 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
2 tsp. chili sauce
Parboil chicken feet: Add 4 cups of cold water to a large pot or wok. Add ginger, green onion, honey, and cooking wine. The aromatics and cooking wine help reduce gaminess and add flavor, while the honey helps the chicken feet brown more beautifully during the frying step. Add the chicken feet and bring the pot to a boil over high heat. Once it has come to a boil, lower the heat and cook for about 2 minutes. Take the chicken feet out. Discard the blanching water and other solids.
Meanwhile, in a bowl combine black bean sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce, sugar, salt, hoisin sauce, and chili sauce.
Prepare your work surface with a clean, dry paper towel. You can use either kitchen shears or a knife to trim the nails from each toe of the chicken foot. Carefully cut off all of the hard nail, getting as much as you can without cutting into the skin of the chicken foot. Then, set the trimmed chicken foot down on the paper towel. Note: trimming nails after blanching is easier and because if you trim the nails first, the skin tends to shrink back during the frying step, resulting in a less appealing look and texture. Once you’ve trimmed all the chicken feet, use the paper towel to pat the chicken feet thoroughly dry. Note: the more moisture you get off the surface now, the more oil splatter you can prevent in the following step.
Heat your wok or pot on high heat. Add oil and heat on medium-high until it has reached 350° F or when wooden skewer inserted- small, rapid bubbles come up its sides. While the oil is heating up, fill a medium-sized mixing bowl with ice and water to shock the chicken feet once they’re done frying. Carefully, cooking in batches, place your chicken feet in and cover them with a lid to reduce splatter. After 2 to 3 minutes, rotate and flip the chicken feet to get an even fry all over. Remove the feet from the oil with a metal strainer when they take on a beautiful golden-brown colour. Note: you can also tell that they are ready when the oil starts to calm down. Immediately transfer the fried chicken feet into your bowl of cold ice water. Leave them soaking in the cold water for 10 minutes. Repeat until chicken feet are all fried and soaking.
Meanwhile, carefully pour out the hot oil into a heat-resistant bowl (let cool to store and cook with later). You don’t need to wash or even thoroughly wipe the wok down; we’ll continue frying in there soon. Start boiling water (6 cups) now for the braising step later.
Note: If you are working with big feet, cut each chicken foot in half to make them more bite-sized for easier eating. To cut the feet, slice your knife into the “palm” of the feet so that you see two toes on each side of the knife. Pause before you try to get through the bone, anchoring the right spot and ensuring that your knife is angled safely straight down. Then, use your hand to press down on the back of the knife, so you have the strength and leverage to cut through the foot.
Heat the wok again on high and add in reserved 2 Tbsp. oil. Fry the ginger for about 30 seconds, then add in the garlic, green onions, and chili peppers. Add shallots and the star anise. Add most of the fermented black beans; reserve just a few pieces to top off your dish with later. Carefully pour in the sauce, then fry for about 45 seconds. Add the chicken feet in, then stir-fry thoroughly so everything is well-mixed and the chicken feet are thoroughly coated in sauce and aromatics. Note: I transferred to a pot to make cooking easier and compact in a tight fitting vessel. Add enough hot water (6 cups) to just barely cover all the ingredients. Bring everything to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, turn the heat down to medium. Cover with a lid and braise on medium heat for 45 minutes.
Once the chicken feet are done braising, dig in! But if you want to go an extra step to really replicate the restaurant experience, you can keep going. For garnish, cut red bell pepper into small, cute slices. This will give a beautiful pop of colour without any surprise heat. You can use a spicy pepper if you like. Arrange your chicken feet and sauce in a heat-safe bowl for steaming. Top with your slivers of red bell pepper and reserved fermented black beans. In a large wok with a rack or steamer, bring water to a boil. Place the chicken feet in the steamer, and steam for 10 minutes with the lid on. Enjoy!
