Pinoy Street Food - Adidas© (Chicken Feet Black)

Street foods are delectable, convenient, practical and best of all economical. There is a street food to match almost anyone’s budget.

In the Philippines, selling street foods has become a huge industry. It is one of the most viable means of livelihood among the common people as it does not require big capital investment. A few hundred pesos and a little knowledge of cooking are all that is required.

Street food reveals the inventive character of the Filipinos. The poor, after all, are forced to be resourceful. Thus we manage to cook, sell, and eat stuff normally junked as waste. For example, animal blood is usually thrown away after butchering, but we use it for the well-liked dinuguan or betamax (roasted coagulated pig or cow blood). 

Most street food is sold as barbecue, fried, boiled or steamed etc. These are usually finger food, snack, fast food or even fruits and drinks. They are most often exotic but they are also an adaptation of western food or any foreign food.

Pinoy street food names have been evolving thru the times and base on locality they are mostly coined after a similar food item or similar things around us.

One of the more colorful names and certainly a favorite of Pinoys is Adidas.

Adidas is barbecued chicken feet in bamboo skewer. Chicken feet are pre-cooked adobo-style. The name originates from a popular branded athletic shoe “Adidas”.

Adidas©

(Chicken Feet Black)

Ingredients: 

2 lbs Chicken feet (Pre-prepared:  Method of preparation noted below)
2 cups Oil (Corn)
2 tbsp Sesame Oil

Marinade: 

1 cup   Marsala  Wine
1 cup   Sherry Wine
3 pcs  Star Anise (whole)
2 tbsp  Five Spice Powder
1 tbsp  Ginger, fresh, chopped fine
2 tbsp Garlic, chopped fine
4 tbsp  Honey (or  Maltose Sugar)
1 tbsp  Red pepper flakes
1 tbsp  Lemon Juice
1 tbsp   Lemon Rind, grated
1 tbsp  Soy Sauce
1 tbsp  Oyster Sauce

Directions:

1. Pre-preparation of chicken feet: Wash chicken feet thoroughly over running water.
2. Chop off toenails. Remove any trace of scaly yellow skin. Cut into thirds.
3. In a pot, pour enough water and boil chicken feet for 5 minutes. Remove from fire and rinse well. Dry well with paper towel.
4. In a wok with cover, over high heat, pour oil. 
5. Fry chicken feet until brown (cover to avoid splashing). Remove from fire.
6. Place in the marinade for 1 hour (or preferably overnight, refrigerate).
7. In a thick bottom pot, pour marinade and chicken feet.
8. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 hour (reduce marinade liquid almost completely)
9. Pour sesame oil before serving.

CHEF SOCRATES ZALDIVAR INONOG, AAC, CCEThe First Certified Culinary Educator by the American Culinary Federation (ACF) Dean and Director Emeritus, Culinary Arts College and Development.International Students Departments, Johnson & Wales University Providence, R.I.