Dim Sum Style Chicken Feet
These Dim Sum Style Chicken Feet are slow-simmered until tender. Cooked with peanuts and star anise, they soak up the savory black bean sauce with just a hint of heat from the chili bean paste.
Equipment
- heavy-bottomed pot or wok
- mixing bowls
- paper towels
- knife and cutting board
- measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 1 kg chicken feet washed and cleaned
- 50g fermented black beans
- 1 cup raw peanuts
- 6 cloves garlic sliced or smashed
- 2 thumbs ginger sliced
- 2 red onions sliced
- 2 pcs star anise
- green onion for garnish
- cooking oil
- water
For the sauce:
- 1 tbsp doubanjiang (chili bean paste)
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 3 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 3 tbsp sugar
- salt to taste
Instructions
- For the chicken feet. Parboil the washed and cleaned chicken feet in a pot of boiling water for about 5 minutes to remove impurities. Then wash them under cold running water and drain them thoroughly. Pat them completely dry with paper towels. This is a crucial step to prevent the oil from splattering during the frying process.
- Prep the peanuts and fermented black beans. You can do this while your chicken feet is boiling. Soak the peanuts in cold water for few minutes then change the water with hot water so they can braise better with the chicken feet. For the black beans, soak them in water for few minutes and drain.
- Prep other ingredients. Slice your ginger, garlic, and onion. This doesn't have to be done perfectly since they will be braised later.
- Prep the sauce. Combine 1 tbsp doubanjiang (spicy chili bean paste), 2 tbsp oyster sauce, 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 3 tbsp Shaoxing wine, and 3 tbsp sugar. You can add the salt during the braising process.
- Fry the chicken feet. You can deep fry the chicken feet until golden to get a better texture and color but as for me, I used a bsmall amount of oil to fry them for about 5 minutes while constantly stirring them. If you're doing this, make sure to fry them in batches. After frying, drain them from excess oil.
- Sauté the aromatics. In a clean, heavy pot or wok, heat a tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Sauté the garlic, ginger, red onions, and star anise until fragrant. Then Stir in the fermented black beans.
- Simmer until tender. Add the chicken feet and the softened peanuts into the pot. Pour in the prepared sauce mixture and add enough water to just cover everything. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat, cover the pot, and let it simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour. You want the sauce to reduce into a rich glaze and the chicken feet to become melt-in-your-mouth tender.
- Garnish and serve. Once the sauce is thick and the chicken feet are perfectly tender, turn off the heat, top with freshly chopped green onions, and serve hot.