Try this quick and easy method to make dim sum style chicken feet. This home-style recipe offers the same flavour and tenderness with less time and effort.
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
1. Traditionally, fermented black beans (豆豉) are used in dim sum chicken feet for their earthy, umami taste. Please feel free to skip them if they’re hard to source. The taste won’t be affected too much.2. The air-frying and soaking process softens the chicken feet' skin and gives them a wrinkled look. You may use the traditional deep-frying method, or skip this pre-cooking step altogether and simply prolong the braising time.