I Don't Think You're Ready for this Pigs' Feet
This recipe is not for the faint of heart, aka White Boyfriend. He's tasted the meat and knows it's delicious, but he just can't bring himself to eat it. If you can get over the fact that you're gnawing on braised pigs' feet | 炖猪蹄, you may just enjoy it. Ooo look! Sometimes you can see little hairs between the toes.
That was a test. If you're still with me, you've proven you are worthy of the pigs' feet. The Chinese have long had to get creative with making strange parts of animals palatable, dating back to the famine of 1959-1961. Nainai often talks about this time and sneaking eggs to my dad out of her three children because he was the youngest. In our culture of excess, people often turn their noses up at meats that resemble their former animal selves. What a treat pigs' feet would've been for my family during those years of near starvation!
But I digress. You can find pigs' feet at most Asian groceries. Start out by putting them in a dutch oven and submersing in water.
Bring to a boil and then drain. Wash thoroughly.
While the feet are boiling you can work on the fermented tofu sauce. I bet everything is sounding super appetizing right now. The sauce is just breaking up the tofu and mixing it with chopped garlic.
After the pigs' feet are boiled, heat up the same dutch oven over medium heat and stir-fry ginger and star anise. Push those to the side and add sugar. Be careful, sugar can burn easily! Once that caramelizes, add that tofu sauce.
Toss in the pigs' feet and stir until the sauce is evenly coated. Add the rest of the ingredients and fill with water until the feet are nearly submersed. Turn up the heat until the pot comes to a boil.
Lower to a simmer and wait three agonizing hours as the wondrous aromas fill your house. The best are the looks you'll get if a friend stops by. "What smells so good??" "Oh, that. Just some pigs' feet."
White Boyfriend will come into the kitchen and instinctively open the fridge and stare inside because the smells are making him hungry. There ain't nothing better in there, buddy. The pigs' feet are where it's at--in all their savory, tender, and unctuous glory.
For the straight-up Braised Pigs' Feet recipe, click here.