Soft Shell Chili Crabs With Mango Noodle Salad Food

CRAB CHA GIO WITH SPICY MANGO DIPPING SAUCE AND CRAB NOODLE SALAD (THE EASIER DISH)

Steps:

• In a large, chilled bowl, mix together the crab, noodles, scallions, chiles, cilantro, fish sauce, lime juice and basil. Check for seasoning. At this point, you have the Crab Salad finished. You can drizzle a little of the mango sauce to complete the plating. Now to finish the cha gio. Take the same mixture and roll it in rehydrated rice paper. Let rest, seam side down for 2 minutes. Fry at 375 degrees until golden brown.
• PLATING Slice the cha gio on the bias and plate on a very small mound of the filling. Serve the sauce in a soy sauce dish. Use the red leaf lettuce to pick up the hot cha gio with your fingers. Garnish with the fresh mint.
• In a blender, add the mangoes, shallots, vinegar, sambal and juice. Blend at high speed and add the oil. Season and check for seasoning.
• BEVERAGE Tropical Sauvignon Blanc (NZ)

MANGO NOODLE SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, toss together the noodles, spinach, chiles and mango and set aside.
• Whisk together the vinegar, chili sauce, fish sauce, lime juice and peanut oil. Taste and adjust flavors if desired. Dress the salad just before serving.

CHILI CRAB

Steps:

• In a casserole or large pot of boiling salted water, add the crabs and cook them for about 1 minute, or until no longer moving. Drain and set aside until cool enough to handle.
• To clean the crabs pull off top shells; pull and twist off each apron; remove gills. With sharp knife cut crabs into quarters, rinse and drain.
• In mortor and pestle or small food processor pound or process chiles, garlic, shallots and ginger with a little oil if necessary.
• Combine all sauce ingredients.
• Heat a wok over moderately high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil and heat until hot. Add chili and garlic paste and stir-fry 1 minute. Add crabs and stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes or until shells turn red. Add sauce ingredients, bring to boil and simmer, covered, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer crabs to serving dish.
• Bring sauce in wok to a boil. Stir cornstarch mixture and add to wok. Simmer until thickened. Gradually add eggs in a stream, whisking, and cook for 1 minute. Pour sauce over crabs and garnish with scallion.

BBQ SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH GRILLED VIDALIA ONIONS

Steps:

• Melt margarine over low-medium heat and add olive oil, salt, pepper, hot sauce, lemon juice, and bacon. Simmer for 2 minutes. Allow to cool.
• Place the cleaned crabs on plate. Liberally coat the crabs with the sauce, making sure to lift the sides of the shell to coat the meat inside. Save remaining sauce for basting. Cover the crabs and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
• Heat grill to medium-low.
• Place crabs on grill topside down. Baste with remaining sauce while they cook. Cook crabs about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. The crab will crisp on the outside and the meat inside will turn white.
• Remove from grill and serve topped with Grilled Vidalia Onions.
• Heat griddle or nonstick pan over medium-high heat.
• Peel onions and cut into thin rings. Toss rings with seasoning and olive oil.
• Cook until onions turn clear and start to caramelize. Serve over grilled crab.

SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH PINEAPPLE-MANGO SALSA

Steps:

• Wash crabs and drain.
• Beat egg whites until slightly foamy; dip crabs in egg whites, then in flour. Place on piece of wax paper.
• Dice pineapple and mango and place in serving bowl. Chop onion fine; mince jalapeno and add to bowl.
• If using a stove-top grill, prepare and heat. Grill crabs about 3 minutes on each side over medium-high heat.
• Squeeze lime juice into the pineapple-mango mixture.
• Wash, dry and chop cilantro and add to bowl; season with pepper. Serve crabs with salsa on the side.

CHILI MANGO SALAD

Steps:

• Rinse, drain and boil the shirataki for five minutes. Drain and rinse well with cold water. Cut the noodles into bite size pieces. Toss the noodles with the cabbage and coleslaw mix.
• Combine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, galangal (a good garlic mincer is handy), Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce, Yeo's Sweet Chili Sauce and Splenda. Pour liquid mixture over veggie mixture and toss to coat.
• Slice mango into cubed chunks and add (without skin) to the mixture. If any juice gathers on the cutting board, pour it inches Toss.
• Refrigerate at least an hour before serving.