Phoenix Talons (Chicken Feet)

Phoenix talons — the Cantonese name that elevates chicken feet into something more palatial — are one of the most traditional items in Cantonese dim sum, and one of the most consistently avoided by first-time non-Chinese visitors to yum cha. This is a mistake. Properly prepared chicken feet are one of the more interesting textural experiences in Cantonese cooking.

The preparation involves several stages. The chicken feet are cleaned, the tips sometimes clipped. They are then deep-fried in hot oil until the skin blisters and puffs, creating a honeycomb-like surface with large air pockets. The fried feet are immediately plunged into cold water to stop the cooking and create the characteristic wrinkled, puffed texture. They are then braised for 45 to 60 minutes in a sauce of fermented black beans (douchi), garlic, dried chilli, soy sauce, oyster sauce, a small amount of sugar, and sometimes star anise or five-spice. This long braising softens the skin and fat to near-gelatinous consistency while the bones remain firm, and the sauce penetrates deeply.

The result is served warm in a bamboo steamer basket. Each foot consists of skin, fat, tendons, cartilage, and small bones — no significant muscle meat. The eating technique is to take the foot in your hand (or with chopsticks), bite off sections, work the skin and gelatinous fat off the bone with your tongue, deposit the clean bone on your plate or in a designated bowl, and continue. The bones are small and numerous; this is not a dish that can be eaten quickly or without attention.

The flavour is savoury-rich from the black beans and braising sauce, mildly spicy from the chilli, and deeply collagen-rich in the mouth. The texture — if the preparation is done correctly — is soft without disintegrating.

Phoenix talons appear at virtually every Cantonese yum cha alongside har gow and siu mai. They are also available as a cold dish or at dai pai dong (outdoor food stalls) in a different preparation. Order a basket and give them a serious try.