Chicken Feet

also called fung zao · fung jao · 鳳爪 · 豉汁蒸鳳爪 · phoenix claws · braised chicken feet · chicken paws

Three ways to read this recipe

The table

Chicken Feet: ingredients down the left, what to do with them across. Tap any cell to cross it off.
2 lb(900 g; nails clipped off)chicken feetblanch 5 min, dry them right throughfry 350°F (175°C) 5 min, until the skin blisterssoak in ice water 1 hr, until they plump and wrinklesimmer in the black bean sauce 1 hrsteam 30 min, until the sauce clings
2 TbsShaoxing wine
4 slices(coin-sized)fresh ginger
6 cups(1.4 L; at 350°F/175°C)peanut oil
8 cups(1.9 L)iced water
2 Tbs(rinsed and lightly mashed)fermented black beans
4 cloves(minced)garlic
2 Tbsoyster sauce
1 Tbslight soy sauce
1 TbsShaoxing wine
1 Tbssugar
2 podsstar anise
2dried red chiles
2 cups(475 mL)water
2(sliced)scallions
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.18 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1blanch 5 min, dry them right through

2fry 350°F (175°C) 5 min, until the skin blisters

goes in with what step 1 made

3soak in ice water 1 hr, until they plump and wrinkle

goes in with what step 2 made

4simmer in the black bean sauce 1 hr

goes in with what step 3 made

5steam 30 min, until the sauce clings

goes in with what step 4 made

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
2 hr 40 min
Needs you
about 10 minthe rest you can walk away from
If you get it wrong
Narrow — the feet have to be bone dry before they meet the oil, because water left on them spits and that is a burn
  1. blanch 5 min, dry them right through

    5 minneeds you(we think)from the start

  2. fry 350°F (175°C) 5 min, until the skin blisters

    5 minneeds you5 min in

  3. soak in ice water 1 hr, until they plump and wrinkle

    1 hrwalk away10 min in

  4. simmer in the black bean sauce 1 hr

    1 hrwalk away1 hr 10 min in

  5. steam 30 min, until the sauce clings

    30 minwalk away2 hr 10 min in

You'll need bowl · pot · steamer

See how it is written
>> title: Chicken Feet
>> category: Stews & Braises
>> tags: chicken, chinese, black bean, deep-fry, steamed
>> counters: Dim Sum Counter
>> aka: fung zao, fung jao, 鳳爪, 豉汁蒸鳳爪, phoenix claws, braised chicken feet, chicken paws
>> servings: 4
>> time: 4 hr
>> slack: narrow — the feet have to be bone dry before they meet the oil, because water left on them spits and that is a burn

>> step: blanch 5 min, dry them right through
Blanch @chicken feet{2%lb}(900 g; nails clipped off) in a #pot{} of boiling water with @Shaoxing wine{2%Tbs} and @fresh ginger{4%slices}(coin-sized) for ~blanch{5%min}, then drain them and dry them right through with a cloth.

>> step: fry 350°F (175°C) 5 min, until the skin blisters
Fry @&(~1)feet{} in @peanut oil{6%cups}(1.4 L; at 350°F/175°C) in a deep #pot{}, a handful at a time and with the lid to hand, for ~fry{5%min}, until the skin has gone gold and puffed away from the bone.

>> step: soak in ice water 1 hr, until they plump and wrinkle
Soak @&(~1)fried feet{} in @iced water{8%cups}(1.9 L) for ~soak{1%hr}.

>> step: simmer in the black bean sauce 1 hr
Simmer @&(~1)feet{} with @fermented black beans{2%Tbs}(rinsed and lightly mashed), @garlic{4%cloves}(minced), @oyster sauce{2%Tbs}, @light soy sauce{1%Tbs}, @Shaoxing wine{1%Tbs}, @sugar{1%Tbs}, @star anise{2%pods}, @dried red chiles{2} and @water{2%cups}(475 mL) in a #pot{} for ~simmer{1%hr}, until a bone pulls free without a fight.

>> step: steam 30 min, until the sauce clings
Steam @&(~1)feet{} in their sauce in a #bowl{} set inside a #steamer{}, scattered with @scallions{2}(sliced), for ~steam{30%min}.