🐔 Why are chicken feet called "phoenix claws"? The naming secrets behind this must-have Hong Kong dim sum snack

Every time I go to a restaurant for tea, I absolutely have to order a basket of "phoenix feet"! Those tender, flavorful, and collagen-rich chicken feet are truly irresistible! 😍 But if you think about it, why are they called "phoenix feet" when they're clearly chicken feet? There's actually a lot of historical allusion, cultural significance, and culinary wisdom behind this name. Let's uncover the secrets behind it today!

📜 The origin of the name of chicken feet

1. The Phoenix in Traditional Chinese Culture

• The phoenix is ​​a mythical bird in ancient Chinese legends. It holds a very high status and is known as the king of birds.
• The phoenix symbolizes auspiciousness, nobility, and good fortune, and often appears in palaces, festivals, and literary works.
• When naming food, Chinese people tend to avoid using overly "vulgar" words. For example, "chicken feet" sounds vulgar, so they use "phoenix claws" instead, which sounds much more noble.

2. Avoid vulgarity and beautify food names

• Cantonese cuisine emphasizes artistic conception, and chefs are accustomed to giving ordinary ingredients elegant names.
• For example: chicken eggs are called "phoenix eggs", duck tongues are called "phoenix tongues", and chicken combs are called "phoenix crowns".
• Therefore, chicken feet were naturally beautified into "phoenix claws", which are both elegant and auspicious.

3. Promotion of restaurant culture

• Guangdong restaurants have been popular since the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China, and the names of their dim sum are elegant.
• In order to make customers feel that the food is high-end, "chicken feet" were renamed "phoenix claws", and it gradually became popular and became the standard name.

🧪 Why have chicken feet become a classic dim sum?

1. Unique processing method

• The chicken feet should be fried first and then soaked to make the skin wrinkled, then slowly simmered in brine or fermented black bean sauce to make them tasty.
• Finally, it presents a "skin, flesh, and bone" taste, full of collagen, ladies' favorite 💅.

2. Excellent taste and texture

• Chicken Feet in Black Bean Sauce: Rich and salty flavor with a prominent black bean flavor.
• Soy sauce chicken feet: sweet and salty, with a more delicate taste.
• Spicy chicken feet: spicy and stimulating, especially delicious🌶️.

3. Auspicious symbolism

• The word "Phoenix" represents auspiciousness, and the names of the dim sum have good intentions.
• Eating chicken feet while drinking tea symbolizes good luck and success.

🌟 Chicken feet vs. chicken feet

1. Name hierarchy

• "Chicken Feet": direct and simple, but sounds vulgar.
• "Phoenix Claws": noble, elegant, and auspicious.

2. Food culture

• Guangdong people attach great importance to the "good luck" of food.
• The name change was made to elevate the brand's style and facilitate its promotion to more upscale venues.

3. Overseas influence

• Today, whether you’re dining at a Chinese restaurant in Hong Kong or Guangzhou, “Feng Zha” has become a fixed name. Even foreigners will directly use the phonetic transliteration “Fung Zao” to order the dish🥢.

🍽️ The status of chicken feet in tea drinking culture

1. One of the Four Heavenly Kings

• In the world of Hong Kong dim sum, chicken feet are known as one of the "Four Heavenly Kings" (shrimp dumplings, siu mai, barbecued pork buns, and chicken feet).
• Almost every teahouse table has a basket of chicken feet.

2. Shared atmosphere

• There are usually several chicken feet in a basket. They should be eaten slowly and are best eaten while sipping.
• The fact that you have to "gnaw the bones" adds a touch of intimacy and homeliness to the experience of drinking tea.

💡 Editor's Summary

The reason why chicken feet are called "chicken feet" instead of "chicken feet" can be said to be the result of cultural beautification and culinary wisdom :

• The "Phoenix" symbolizes nobility and auspiciousness, enhancing the taste of the food.
• Avoid vulgarity and pursue elegance, making restaurant dim sum more decent
• The promotion of restaurant culture has become a fixed term for Hong Kong-style tea drinking.

For me, chicken feet are more than just a snack; they're an integral part of tea culture. The name itself embodies the Cantonese people's pursuit of culinary aesthetics and meaning.

👉 Next time you go yum cha with friends, remember to share this: the "phoenix feet" in the dim sum are actually chicken feet, but after changing their name, they suddenly upgraded from "local ingredients" to "noble feet" 🐓➡️🐉!