Ingredients:
•32 chicken feet (about 2 lbs.)
•1/2 cup sake
•1/3 cup water
•6 large thin slices fresh ginger
•1/3 cup soy sauce
•1/4 cup Chinese yellow rock sugar (or 1/4 cup granulated sugar)
•2 dried hot chiles, crushed
•2 tablespoons oyster sauce
•2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
•2 star anise buds
•1 cinnamon stick
•1 cup scallion cut in 1-inch pieces
•2 tablespoons minced scallion and 1t toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Preparation:
Rub chicken feet with kosher salt and let stand for 10 minutes, rinse in cold water.
Place feet into a pot of rapidly boiling salted water, blanch for 5 minutes and drain well. Chicken feet can be set aside and refrigerated for a day until you need to cook further.
Place a 14-inch saute pan over high heat. Add the chicken and dry-sear to lightly brown. Add the remaining ingredients (except the garnish) and bring to a simmer. Cook, covered, for about 10 minutes. Uncover, and simmer until pan is almost “dry,” tossing frequently to coat the feet as the sauce reduces.
Serve, garnishing with scallion shavings and toasted sesame seeds.