Chicken feet and hearts.
With vegetables and white rice. An informal recipe told.
Welcome to another publication on the section It's Food o’Clock. Here I post about food and cooking (from recipes and storytelling to history, philosophy, and mysticism). Today I share with you an informal recipe (a recipe told) and some background about my fascination with Asian food and cooking. Make sure to subscribe to receive notifications about deliciously interesting writing (and podcasting), and then some!
When my family and I moved from Puerto Rico to Austin, Texas (Keep Austin Weird!), the apartment complex we live at was located behind Chinatown Center, home of the MT Supermarket. And from the little Asian markets I had available at the time in PR, I graduated to a superstore size one that had everything I could imagine, and what I had never thought of. Frogs, various kinds of fish, eel, weird fruits, amazing vegetables, tasty snacks, and every part of the chicken (all of it), sold separately. And to my delight, the prices were more affordable than on the Island. I was in Asian food heaven.
When working as a cooking instructor and doing catering, Asian food was my biggest inspiration. From the ingredients to the techniques, and the smells and the textures there is no better culinary amalgam as well as diversity (for me). I come from a mix of DNA from distinct parts of the world. But, between the Spanish, the Taino, and the African, the latter runs a little deeper in me. However, I swear there is some sort of Asian influence somewhere within the depths of my existence. I don’t just crave the flavors and the smells; I crave the cooking.
From an early age I was infatuated with Chinese food. Then I tasted sushi and things got even worse (or better I should say). I quickly learned how to roll, and slice, and in no time, I was doing sushi catering and teaching classes. Then I tasted Malay food, and the Thai, and Vietnamese and well, I was hooked. I AM HOOKED, and I like it! It is so much so, that while I live minutes away from Orlando’s biggest theme parks, there is no better attraction to me than Asian markets (and restaurants), and I have many of those to choose (no long lines, no anual pass needed). It is a pleasure to cook asian food.
I add my own flavors and tricks to my “Asian cooking”, so it is fair to say that it is not authentic. It is a fusion that leans more towards that unknown and undiscovered (and most likely imaginary/fantasized) Asian side of my DNA.
Grilled chicken heart skewers, with feet and vegetables on the wok. (Of course, with white rice).
For the rice there is not much process, but I have my ritual. I measure two cups of white rice and put it into a strainer. I like to wash it for a minute or two under running water, and then let the water drip. It takes out the excess of starch and allows for a nice texture.
I put a medium size pot on medium high heat and pour in about two tablespoons of olive oil, and a pinch or two of salt. When it starts smoking stir in the rice, add about two and a half cups of water and let it come to a boil. Then I bring it down to low heat and put on a lid (but let it sit semi-open) until the water steams out. This is when I stir it, and taste for texture and doneness.
If it requires more cooking, I add about three tablespoons of water and cover it for about five more minutes. If it doesn't need any, I just cover it, and take it off the heat.
The heart issue.
Chicken hearts are affordable and easy to prepare. They have great flavor and texture. While having that organ taste my daughter, stepson, wife, and I devoured them like piranhas. I marinated them for 30 minutes in soy sauce, white vinegar, tajin, garlic powder, onion powder, and ginger. Then I butterflied and skewered them, keeping them open to receive the love of the heat. My wife cooked them on an electric grill until they were charred and juicy. They were delicious. The star of the meal. They we so good that not all of them made it to the table.
Sticky feet.
This was my second time cooking chicken feet. They are full of collagen and are very sticky. I compare their stickiness to that of pig’s feet when we make Arroz con Patitas (rice with pig’s feet) at home.
I decided to season them with soy, salt, garlic, and onion powder, and pressure cook them for around twenty minutes to make them softer. Then I put them into an oiled hot wok with broccoli, Yu choi, Bok choi, sesame seeds, and a bit more soy. I woked them up (sautéing and stiring) for a few minutes (5-8) until they started getting some color. Then I turned the heat off and covered them for about five more minutes for the skin to soften more. They came out good, but compared to the hearts, only my stepson and I enjoyed these more than my wife and daughter. But even they, the picky ones, confessed that they weren’t bad at all.
I will try cooking them next time in a different way. Pressure cooking is necessary as the skin is tough and chewy (which I took for granted the first time I bought them). Next time, after softening, I will season them, put them on flour, and deep-fry them. Then I will toss them in a nice Asian inspired sauce, to make them Korean fried chicken style.
I hope you enjoyed this post. I tend to prefer recipes that are told to ones that are too structured and measured. It gives the reading a sense of adventure and allows for imagination to run deeper. Also, the storytelling aspect gives it a little more flavor and magic. Hit like, subscribe, and leave a comment to continue this conversation.
Have you tried chicken hearts and feet? What’s your take on them?
Also, what is your favorite asian food to cook or eat? For me (so far), it is Japanese food.