Chicken Feet, Dim Sum Style (豉汁凤爪)
User Reviews
5
Chicken Feet, Dim Sum Style (豉汁凤爪)
Description
Chicken Feet, Dim Sum Style, begins by cleaning and blanching the feet to remove impurities. Optional air-frying blisters the skin and contributes to texture; soaking them in cold water afterward softens the skin further. The braising sauce combines aromatics like garlic, ginger, star anise, bay leaves, dried chili, and optionally fermented black beans for umami depth, along with oyster sauce, light and dark soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar, which create a balanced savory and slightly sweet flavor.
The feet simmer in this sauce until tender and infused with rich flavors, resulting in a dish celebrated for its tender skin and gelatinous texture contrasted by the bold, deeply savory braising liquid. This dish is commonly served as part of a dim sum meal.
The air-frying and soaking steps are traditional techniques that enhance the skin's texture and appearance but can be substituted with longer braising or traditional frying. Fermented black beans lend authentic taste but may be omitted without significant loss.
Ingredients
- 500 g chicken feet about 1.1 lb (14-16 feet)
- neutral cooking oil for air-frying (optional)
For braising
- ½ tablespoon neutral cooking oil
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 4 lices ginger
- 1 star anise
- 2 bay leaf
- 4 dried chili pepper
- 1 tablespoon fermented black beans optional (see note 2)
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce light
- ½ tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
- ½ teaspoon white sugar
Instructions
Blanching
- Chop off the nails of the chicken feet. Wash thoroughly. Put them into a pot and add plenty of tap water. Bring it to a full boil then leave to simmer for 5 minutes. Drain well.
Air-frying (optional, see note 2)
- Coat the drained feet with a thin layer of oil (spray over or rub with hands). Put into an air fryer preheated at 200°C/390°F. Leave to fry for about 10 minutes until the skin blisters (open the drawer to flip and shake the feet a couple of times during the process).
- Transfer the fried feet to a large bowl filled with cold water. Leave to soak in the fridge for about 2 hours. Then drain well.
Braising
- Add ½ tablespoon of oil to a wok/pot. Add garlic, ginger, star anise, bay leaves, dried chilli and fermented black beans (if using). Fry over low heat until the garlic turns lightly golden and fragrant (do not burn).
- Put in the chicken feet, along with oyster sauce, light and dark soy sauce, Shaoxing rice wine and sugar. Pour in 400ml (1¾ cups) hot water. Bring to a boil then cover with a lid. Leave to simmer over low heat for 30 minutes until the skin becomes very tender (extend the time to 40 minutes if the feet haven’t been air-fried).
- Finally, turn the heat up to high. Cook uncovered to thicken the cooking liquid.
Serving and storing
- You may enjoy them warm or at room temperature. Store the leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Bring back to room temperature to serve or steam to reheat.
Notes
- Fermented black beans add characteristic flavor, but can be skipped if unavailable without greatly affecting taste.
- Air-frying and soaking the chicken feet softens skin and creates a wrinkled texture; alternatively, deep-fry or extend braising time.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 330 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 330kcal | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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