Basic chicken stock with chicken feet, aromatics and warm spices

Cut the chicken and chicken feet into pieces as small as possible with scissors.

Cut the celery, carrots and onions into small pieces; crush a whole bulb of garlic, skin on; add thin slices of ginger and scallion tied in a knot.

Add star anise, cardamom, bay leaves, a stick of cinnamon, black and white peppercorns and a pinch of salt.

Cover with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat; turn the heat off as soon as it boils and skim off the scum and oil.

Simmer at the lowest heat, barely bubbling, 2 to 3 hours, fishing out visible bits now and then so the stock stays clear; a hard boil makes it cloudy.

Remove the meat and vegetables and pass the stock through a fine sieve.

Refrigerate up to 3 days, or freeze in an ice cube tray (about an eighth of a cup per cube) and keep the cubes in a sealable bag for a couple of months.