There’s not much that goes to waste around these parts, and that includes Chickens feet, not just spared out of thrift though, they’re a wildly popular snack and delicacy. You can find them at street food stalls, convenience stores, supermarkets and for a real treat, my favorite is Cantonese style chickens feet that you find at dian xin (dim sum) restaurant.

They’re not without there benefits according to Traditional Chinese Medicine, chicken claws are packed with collagen for one, rich in calcium, can apparently help soften blood vessels, along with cosmetic benefits.

So, how to buy and eat? Here they are from the supermarket, ready to cook:

Here they are in the snack isle, ready to go:

Here’s the spicy version:

You can also grab some freshly cooked feet from the deli, along with your pigs ears and offal:

And, here’s the tastiest, Cantonese style like what you will find at a dian xin restaurant:

To cook at home – Cantonese Style Chicken Feet recipe:

Ingredients

500gm’s of Chicken feet

1 oil

2 litre water

30gm fresh ginger

3 pieces star anise

60gm parsnip

60gm sugar or honey (reduce the honey a bit as it’s sweeter)

Marinade

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine

30gm chopped chili’s

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1 tablespoon black bean sauce

1/2 teaspoon sesame seed oil

Heat the oil, and coat the chicken feet with the 60gm of sugar. Fry them for about 6-7 minutes or until golden. Remove and drain on paper.

Boil the water, add ginger, star anise, parsnip, chicken feet and return to boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 90 minutes.

Mix all the marinade ingredients together, add the chicken feet and refrigerate overnight. When you are ready to eat, place feet and marinade into a bowl, and then into a steamer for 15 minutes until hot.