How to make yum tien gai - Lao chicken feet salad recipe
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A modern recipe for a classic Lao/Thai chicken feet salad. Vibrant, colourful and delicious!
Author:
Recipe type: Salad
Cuisine: Modern Lao-Australian
Serves: 10
Ingredients
  • 1 KG of chicken feet
  • 2 TBSP of fish sauce
  • 2 TBSP of fermented fish sauce
  • 2 TBSP of Shaoxing wine (optional)
  • 2 TBSP of raw sugar
  • 2 TBSP of dried shrimp (optional)
  • 1 red/Spanish onion
  • 4 chilies
  • 1 lemongrass
  • 2 spring onions
  • 2 capsicums (1 red and 1 yellow)
  • 5 Chinese celery
  • 5 stems of mint leaves
  • 2 coriander
  • 1 lemon
  • sea salt and cracked black pepper
Instructions
  1. First, prepare the chicken feet. Wash and clean the chicken feet. Remove loose outer skin if necessary.
  2. In a saucepan, add 2 Litres of water and 1 tsp of sea salt. Bring to a gentle boil. Add the cleaned chicken feet and gently boil/simmer until they’re cooked. The chicken feet will firm/fatten up and turn slightly pale yellow/white. This should take about 10-20 mins. When they’re done, drain the chicken feet and let them cool down completely.
  3. When the cooked chicken feet have cooled down completely, it’s time to surgically de-bone them with a very sharp kitchen knife and scissors. Be extremely careful when doing this. Take your time, concentrate and watch your fingers!
  4. De-bone 1 chicken foot at a time. First, with a sharp knife or scissors, cut off the toenails/claws. With the sole of the chicken foot facing upwards, cut a deep straight line (all the way to the bone) from the middle of the sole to the top of the leg/knee joint. Then, cut from the middle of the sole up each toe to the tip of the toe. Then, with your fingers, gently move the chicken foot/toes around to break the joints. Then, with your clever fingers, carefully peel/remove the large/long leg bone through the cut opening. Retain as much meat as possible. Then, carefully peel/remove the individual toe bones. Be careful to not damage the chicken skin too much when doing this. Tra-da! Congratulations on your perfectly prepared de-boned cooked chicken foot, now ready for consumption. But wait - contain yourself. Put it aside and repeat the process for the remaining chicken feet.
  5. When all of the chicken feet have been perfectly de-boned, give yourself a pat on the back and then cut them up into edible sizes/pieces - about 5 cm long pieces or so. Cover and put aside.
  6. Prepare the salad dressing. In a small mixing bowl, add the fish sauce, fermented fish sauce, Shaoxing wine and raw sugar. Stir/mix together well until the sugar is dissolved. Cover and put aside.
  7. Place the dried shrimp into a mortar and pound to a finer consistency. Retain some texture. Cover and put aside.
  8. Prepare the herbs and vegetables. Peel the red/Spanish onion, cut off root, and then thinly slice. Wash the chilies, remove stems, and then thinly slice diagonally. Wash and then thinly slice the lemongrass diagonally (white part only). Wash the spring onions, cut off roots, and then thinly slice diagonally. Wash the capsicums, cut in half, remove seeds, and then thinly slice. Wash the Chinese celery, cut off roots, and then roughly cut diagonally. Wash the mint and then remove leaves from stems. Wash the coriander, cut off the roots, and then roughly cut diagonally. Wash and cut the lemon into quarters, ready for squeezing.
  9. Make the salad. In a large mixing bowl, place the sliced chicken feet pieces. Add the red/Spanish onion, chilies, lemongrass and spring onion. Gently mix/toss together with a spoon or tongs. Add the capsicum and gently mix together. Add the sauce/dressing. Squeeze in the lemon juice. Add a pinch of salt and cracked black pepper. Gently mix together. Add the Chinese celery, mint and coriander. Gently mix together. Add the dried shrimp. Gently mix together. Taste, and adjust the flavour to suit. What you aiming for is a delicious balance of flavours - salty, savoury, sour, spicy and a little sweet. The natural flavours of the chicken feet, herbs and vegetables should also shine through!
  10. Voila! Your yum tien gai is now ready to be served and enjoyed. Serve immediately on a large plate or bowl, with steaming hot sticky rice and an icy cold beer. Sern saab!!
Recipe by Padaek at http://padaek.com/make-yum-tien-gai-lao-chicken-feet-salad-recipe/