Asian Crab Food

SCALLION GINGER CANTONESE CRAB

Steps:

• Clean and prep the crabs for cooking (see step-by-step instructions within this post).
• Take each of the crab halves and lightly dredge each large piece in a light coating of flour. Transfer to a clean plate along with the claws and shells. Sprinkle the remaining flour over the crab pieces.
• Heat a wok with 4 tablespoons of oil, spreading the oil around the wok so it heats evenly. You know you have reached the right temperature when you start to see just a little (not a lot!) of smoke on the sides of the wok. Now quickly place each of the large pieces of crab in the oil and spread the claws and shells around the outside portion of the wok. Next, quickly tilt the wok around in a circle to get the oil spread around to all of the crab pieces, keeping the heat on high. After another 15 seconds of this, use a spatula and roll the pieces around the oil for another 15 seconds. Turn off the heat and remove to a plate or small sheet pan.
• Clean the wok, add 2 tablespoons of oil and toss in the ginger pieces until they are just starting to caramelize (15 seconds) and then add half of the scallions - use the white pieces for this step.
• Keep the heat on high and move quickly to add the crab to wok and toss the crab around with your spatula to get some good sizzle. After about 10 seconds, add the wine in a circle around the pan and immediately cover the wok and turn the heat down to medium. Let the crab cook for 2-3 minutes. During this process, it is best to hold the cover and tilt the wok so the liquid hits the hot sides of the wok and you hear and see a sizzle generating that elusive "wok hay" flavor. If you have no sizzle, the heat is too low.
• Remove the cover and spread the rest of the scallions over the crab. Add the sugar, white pepper and soy sauce. Give everything a good mix for another 10 seconds. Plate and serve!

SINGAPORE CHILLI CRAB

Steps:

• Prepare crab: See separate tutorial for how to clean and cut a whole crab. You will end up with: 1) Crab pieces; and 2) Reserved tomalley ("crab mustard", Note 8) and crab juices in a separate bowl. This is a key "secret ingredient" used to flavour the sauce.
• Chilli paste: Place ingredients in a small food processor or Nutribullet. Blitz until it's a fairly smooth paste.
• Sauté belachan: Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add belachan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. It will smell pungent (to put it mildly), but have faith! It will mellow and transform!
• Cook off chilli paste: Add chilli paste and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.
• Add tomato passata: Add tomato passata and cook, stirring regularly, for 4 minutes.
• Add remaining sauce ingredients: Add sweet chilli sauce, ketchup, water and stir to combine.
• Add claws: Add the crab claws first (they take longer to cook), stir to coat in sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cover with a lid and cook 3 minutes.
• Add "crab mustard" and juices: Add the reserved tomalley ("crab mustard") along with all the crab juices.
• Add remaining crab pieces: Remove lid, add remaining crab pieces and any juices that have collected in this bowl. Stir pieces to coat, put the lid back on and cook for 7 minutes.
• Remove crab: Use tongs to remove crab pieces into a bowl.
• Egg ribbons: With the sauce still on the stove, and while stirring in a circular motion, pour the egg in a thin stream into the middle of the pot. This will create little ribbons of egg in the sauce that is traditional and look lovely.
• Vinegar: Stir in vinegar.
• Return crab: Return the crab pieces into the pot, gently stir to coat in the sauce.

ASIAN CRAB

Steps:

• In a large wok, heat canola oil over medium-high heat.
• Crack crab shells in multiple areas to allow sauce to enter shell without crab shells falling apart.
• Add crab to oil and quickly saute for 1 to 3 minutes until crab is hot. Remove crab and drain oil.
• Add hoisin, chile hot sauce, black bean paste, and white wine and heat until bubbling. Add crab, toss for 30 seconds. Add sesame oil, and toss for 15 seconds.
• Remove to plate and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.

ASIAN BLACK PEPPER CRAB

Steps:

• Steam crabs until bright red - ideally using a crab pot with a rack. Remove from heat and cool.
• Turn each crab on its back; lift and remove apron. turn over & pull off back. Remove and discard the devil's fingers (gills) and the creamy, green or yellow tomalley in the center. Crack body in half. Remove & crack claws gently with a nutcracker.
• Heat oil in a wok or a large skillet over high heat. Sauté crab pieces 2 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
• Turn down heat to medium; add garlic, ginger, and chiles. Cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, thin soy sauce, and sugar. Reduce heat to low and simmer 30 seconds.
• Add pepper and return crab to wok; stir until coated with sauce. Serve garnished with cilantro.