There are many ways we eat chicken feet in restaurants. One of the two main ways dim sum restaurants serve is with wrinkly skin / “tiger skin” pattern. The wrinkly skin is separated from the bone and meat, easier to chew off and much tender, catering to main eaters of dim sum — older generation’s need for soft food. Traditional method to make the wrinkles / “tiger skin” pattern is to deep fry in hot oil to extract moist and create air in between skin and bone, but this method could be dangerous as hot oil might splash. Air-fryer provides a simpler option allowing to re-create this traditional way to cook chicken feet!
TAKEAWAYS
- when boiling the chicken feet first, do not cook more than 1min over low heat, otherwise the chicken feet would be cook completely and not have wrinkles / “tiger skin” pattern later
- either deep frying or air-frying is to remove moisture, create air between skin and meat, and further putting chicken feet in cold water will create wrinkles
RECIPE
- ginger slices
- smashed garlic cloves
- dried peppers
- Szechuan peppercorns
- 2-3 star anise
- 2-3 bay leaves
- cooking wine
- soy sauce
- dark soy sauce
- oyster sauce
- spicy bean paste （郫縣）辣豆瓣醬
- fermented bean / bean paste 豆豉 / 豆瓣醬
STEP 1: put chicken feet in a pot, pour 2-3tbsp cooking wine, a few ginger slices and 1tbsp Szechuan peppercorn, pour cold water till chicken feet are submerged. Turn on heat till boiling, cook in low heat for 1min. JUST 1MIN!
- cooking too long might not be able to have “wrinkles / tiger skin” later
STEP 2: rub chicken feet with dark soy sauce thoroughly, then dry them.
STEP 3: transfer dried chicken feet into air-fryer, cook at 375F/190C for ~20mins; flip right after 10mins to cook both sides. Each air-fryer’s temperature might be slightly different, just need to make sure after air-frying, there is air bubbles on chicken feet and they are quite dry
STEP 4: transfer chicken feet straight into ice / cold water for at least 30mins, this step will create the wrinkles in chicken feet, and it will be very soft and easily separate from meat and bone, a unique texture of Dim Sum style / wrinkly chicken feet
STEP 5: in a pan, heat up oil and stir fry ginger slices, smashed garlic cloves, dried peppers, Szechuan peppercorn, star anise, bay leaves in oil, till ginger and garlic turns golden. Spices’ fragrance will be stimulated in oil.
STEP 6: lower heat and put in 1tbsp spicy bean paste, 1/2tbsp fermented bean / bean paste, mix well, do not burn the pot
STEP 7: transfer chicken feet from cold water to pan, pour hot water till it covers half the height of chicken feet; add in 1-2tbsp oyster sauce, 1tbsp soy sauce, 1tbsp dark soy sauce, 2-3 rock candy
STEP 8: cook chicken feet over low heat for ~30mins or ideal softness. Turn off heat and let chicken feet sit in sauce for more flavors
READY TO SERVE!
RESOURCES
