Chinese Hot and Sour Chicken Feet Salad, Made with Monk Fruit Sweetener

Method

1. Rinse 1kg chicken feet, trim the nails and cut them into bite sized pieces. Bring water to a boil, cook the feet with 5 to 6 slices ginger and 50ml Shaoxing wine for 10 minutes, then move them into iced water for about 15 minutes.
2. Ten hot chilies, 2 bulbs of garlic and 1 piece of ginger can be sliced for a gentler aroma, or pounded and blended for a stronger sauce.
3. Mix the sauce from 2 teaspoons salt, 1 tablespoon kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, 5 tablespoons soy sauce, 3 tablespoons Chinkiang black vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon white rice wine, 1 teaspoon MSG, 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, the juice of half a lemon and the prepared garlic, chili and ginger.
4. Drain the chicken feet and toss them with the sauce. The simple route is to pour 300ml water straight in and mix. The more aromatic route is to boil 300ml water with 2 bay leaves, 2 star anise and 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn, cool it completely and pour it in.
5. Add 4 to 5 lemon slices with the seeds removed and keep the feet in the fridge for about 5 hours or overnight, turning them now and then.
6. Toss the chicken feet with 1 handful of chopped cilantro and arrange them on a plate.

Tips

• Chinkiang black vinegar carries the signature aroma, and white vinegar stands in with a slightly sharper sourness.
• Sichuan peppercorn, star anise and bay leaf are optional, and the salad is good without them.
• This dish is barely sweet at all, since sour and hot are the leading flavors.
• Stir the dressing again right before pouring, as the kOBE Monk Fruit Blend settles at the bottom.
• Chill for a few hours after mixing, because eaten right away the chicken feet are only coated on the outside.