To start this thing off, we have to do it right. The ubiquitous dish of any legit dim sum spot, Phoenix claws – AKA: Chicken feet.
Yes, they’re edible… and they’re delicious! Your homeboys Tony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern swear by it and consider it one of the most underrated, least respected and intimidating foods. Preparing this dish is quite the process. First cleaned, the chicken feet are then braised in soy and cooking wine, drained and fried twice. After the second fry (where the skin plumps), the chicken feet are immediately dunked into an ice bath to have the skin pull away from the bone – and this is what makes the chicken feet, “Phoenix claws”. The bad boys are then tossed in a sweet, honey based garlic sauce with hints of orange zest and then placed in individual dishes to be steamed. Although they are already cooked, the steaming obviously heats them through to order, as well as allows the sauce to permeate the skin.
There isn’t any meat on the phoenix claws, you’re basically eating the skin and softened cartilage. The gelatinous pectin filled bites is what makes this dish so fucking DELICIOUS, leaving a piling of little bones on your plate as a trophy of your courageous dim sum domination.
Live a little and try. Order them.