Recipe Description
Braised chicken feet is a traditional Cantonese dish that is sometimes known by a fancy name, fung jao, which translates literally as phoenix claws. It is commonly served as a dim sum dish and is usually steamed on a bed of chillies and napa cabbage. When braised with mushrooms, it is often paired with egg noodles and is smothered in the collagen-rich gravy that you get after the prolonged braising.
Chicken feet are first deep-fried to release the fat and to transform the skin into pockets of sponge that will absorb all the intense flavours of the braise. Without frying, chicken feet will never achieve the puffy texture that is expected of this dish. There’s quite a bit of work involved if this dish is to be made from scratch, from clipping the toenails to removing the epidermis and calluses, then deep-frying in copious amounts of oil.
However, because deep-fried chicken feet are now easily available at most wet markets and supermarkets, this tedious component of the dish has already been taken care of. The only thing that needs to be done is to soak the mushrooms in advance, then sauté the ingredients and braise. Even braising has become easier with a pressure cooker. Whereas cooking over the stove would require 2 hours of constant checking that the liquid does not dry out, braising in the pressure cooker requires only 40-45 minutes under high pressure and an additional 10 minutes to reduce the liquid with the lid off. Do not stir the pot at any point during the braising to avoid breaking up the tender feet.
The result is gelatinous chicken feet, tender mushrooms and a luscious gravy that clings to each strand of noodle. This dish may also be served with steamed white rice if you prefer. When preparing the egg noodles, blanch them first in boiling water for about 30 seconds, then you’ll have to shock them in cold water so they constrict and become al dente.
Then, bring them back up to heat in the boiling water and immediately toss them in the sauce while hot. You may drizzle in additional light and dark soy sauce to intensify the taste and colour on the noodles, and a dollop of fried crispy shallots and shallot oil for added flavour.
Recipe Ingredient
- Ingredients
- 15 pieces fried chicken feet
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 pods star anise
- 5 cloves garlic
- 50g ginger, sliced
- 30 caps shiitake mushrooms, soaked overnight
- 1 litre chicken stock
- 1 cup mushroom infusion
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rock sugar
- ¼ tsp salt to taste
- ¼ tsp white pepper to taste
- 5 skeins egg noodles
- Garnish
- 1 tsp fried shallots
- 1 sprig coriander
Instructions
- Drain the soaked mushrooms and save the mushroom infusion for braising the chicken feet. Blanch the fried chicken feet in boiling water for 10 minutes to remove the excess oil, then drain and set aside.
- In a pressure cooker, heat the sesame oil to sauté the star anise, garlic and ginger until fragrant. Then toss in the mushrooms to sauté until dry.
- Add the chicken feet, chicken broth, mushroom infusion, and all the seasoning ingredients to braise under high pressure for 45 minutes until the chicken feet turn soft. Depressurise and reduce the gravy to about 2 cups.
- If braising over the stove top, simmer at low heat for 2 hours until soft, keeping watch that the pot does not dry out. Do not stir during the cooking to keep the chicken feet intact.
- When ready, remove the chicken feet, mushrooms and gravy and place them into separate containers to be assembled into the final noodle dish.
- Blanch the noodles in boiling water for 30 seconds, then plunge them into cold water to shock them. Then return the noodles to the heat for another 30 seconds before placing them into a serving plate.
- Ladle about ¼ cup braised gravy over the noodles, drizzling additional light and dark soy sauce if necessary for taste and colour. Toss the noodles in the sauce until completely coated and well combined. Arrange the chicken feet and mushrooms over the noodles, and garnish with crispy fried shallots and coriander. Serve immediately while hot.
