Cantonese Dim Sum Chicken Feet Recipe

You may wonder what kind of crazy cook can come up with such a complicated recipe for chicken feet. But, after trying this dish, you will admit that Cantonese people have the best way to cook chicken feet. Steamed chicken feet in black bean sauce (豉汁蒸凤爪) is one of the most popular dim sum items. If you have never had it before, get out of your comfort zone and give it a try. You will fall in love with the tender, succulent texture and the rich flavor.

INGREDIENTS
To Blanch & soak the Chicken Feet
1 lb of chicken feet
1.5 liters (6 cups) of water
Lemon juice from 1/2 of a lemon
Lemon peel from one lemon
3 scallions, tore into stalks
1.5 inches of ginger, sliced thinly
1.5 tbsp of red yeast powder, optional

The Seasoning
1.5 tbsp of oil
1 tbsp of minced garlic
1 tsp of ginger

Others：
1 cup of peanut, pre-soaked for 1 hour, optional
Diced scallions as garnish
Red chilies as garnish

INSTRUCTIONS
Add the chicken feet, 1.5 liters of water, Chinese cooking wine, scallions, ginger slices, cinnamon, star anise, bay leaves, lemon peel, lemon juice, and maltose to a big pot, then bring it to a boil. The citrus aroma from the lemon peel helps to remove the unpleasant smell. The maltose will enhance the mallard reaction and give the chicken feet that desired golden brown color. If you don't have it, feel free to use sugar.
Remove the chicken feet from the water onto a rack until they cool to lukewarm. Reserve the blanching liquid on the side
Cut off the chicken nails by using a pair of kitchen scissors. Then dab the excess moisture with paper towels.
The next step is to fry the chicken feet until golden brown, which you can do by air frying in an air dryer (360 F for 18-25 minutes), deep frying in oil (360F for 12-15 minutes), or you can roast the chicken feet in the oven(400F for 30-40 minutes and flip the chicken feet every 10-15 minutes). If you choose the deep frying method, it is best to dry the chicken feet furthermore by leaving them in the fridge uncovered overnight to avoid oil splattering.
Soak the chicken feet in the reserved blanching liquid for 1.5 hours. Optionally, add 1.5 tbsp of red yeast rice powder to enhance the vibrant red color. You can skip it or use food coloring as it doesn't affect the taste.
While waiting, you can prepare the sauce. Stir the fermented black beans, minced garlic, and minced ginger with a drizzle of oil over medium-low heat until the aromatics are golden. Turn off the heat, then add soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, and Chuhou paste. Mix thoroughly.
Chop the chicken feet into smaller pieces, then mix them with the sauce.
Put the pre-soaked peanuts on the plate and place the chicken feet on the top. If you skip the peanuts, use 1/2 tbsp of less soy sauce to adjust the saltness.
Steam the chicken feet over medium heat for 1.5 hours. Please make sure the pot is filled with enough water to avoid evaporating to dry.
Garnish the chicken feet with some diced scallions and red chilies.

[Baliane]

At this point I just automatically save your recipes before I even watch the video. You’re the best!!!!

[johnNJ]

This is one of my favorite dishes when we go to St. Louis to have Dim Sum on a Sunday morning. Thank you Mandy for sharing this recipe!

[martinyin]

Well thought out and excellently done video. Loved the comparison of the results from the various preparation methods. I too find it too much trouble to make at home so I always count on Dim Sum restaurants to satisfy my cravings.

[HBADGERBRAD]

These are my favourite at DIM SUM! Always surprises the little ladies at my 😮dim-sum that do the serving, now they are used to seeing me and know I'd like two orders of chicken 🐓 feet in brown sauce. Sometimes they have different ways the chef has prepared the chicken feet and they’d bring a couple to sample, I did like the vinegar sauce but so far that’s it I haven’t liked the others yet. 😂

[WindDancer]

I grew up eating fried chicken but I have outdone my bio mom by making it dim sum style. It takes a long time but it's worth it. 😊

[RedDragonVideos]

The color is amazing. Putting the red rice powder on my shopping list😁. Thank you Mandy. Have a beautiful day😍💞🐲

[mukarramkhan]

Marvellous.
Your explanation about the taste and flavours literally made me taste it.
👈👋

[chefarjunaidi]

Yummy! My favourite dim sum item. I will try. You have a beautiful kitchen.

[lisacastano]

When my daughter was in second grade her class had a field trip with lunch at a dimsum restaurant and she decided to order some chicken feet and share them with a friend just to freak out the rest of the class 😂 I think they had some duck feet too.

[jdmecarr]

i looove chicken feet! can you do cantonese curry? how is it different from Indian/Thai/Japanese curry? i love curry and I remember eating a cantonese curry beef tripe

[thanhngale]

Thanks for your recipes. Your recipes are easy to find ingredient. ❤❤❤

[leonarddefusco]

I made this at home and it tasted better than at my local dim sum. This truly is amazing, thank you very much!

[KimbaRoars]

Xièxiè Mandy! 🙏🏽 Mmm… I cannot wait to make! Nǐ hěn yǒushàn 🍎

[sheteg]

I love them at dim sum. The flavour is fantastic. Thx for recipe.

[sfdanceron]

LOL!!! Mandy, I love that you're doing everything to convince us 外国人 to eat chicken feet, but I put chicken feet in the same class as 丑豆福. Neither will ever pass my lips, haha.

[huggledemon]

I LOVE chicken feet, but everytime I eat them at Yum Cha- I get weird looks from other non-Asians and the Asian customers (and restaurant staff too) often give me surprised looks when I eat the chicken feet!🤷‍♀️😂🥰🥰

[elenamillsap]

We waiting on your book! Do you have plans on making one?

[thechariotcard]

Having been raised on a farm with several hundred chickens, my sister, and I gathered eggs every day and watched those chickens walk-in manure and dirt. When I see the feet, all I can think of is what they walk through. I’m betting if I tried them I would like them, but I just can’t even think about what it would take me to put chicken feet in my mouth. L O L.

[toshiyukisuzuki]

Hi! How long were the chicken feet boiled in the aromatic water? Thanks!

[TRAN_S]

Can you place a whole lemon cut in half into the boiling stage?