Thai Soft Shell Crabs Food

THAI SOFT-SHELL CRABS

Steps:

• Combine the milk and Tabasco in a bowl. Set aside. Mix the flour, salt and pepper in a shallow pan. Dip the crabs in the milk and dredge in flour mixture. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottom skillet over medium-high heat. Place the crabs in pan and cook for 3 minutes. Turn and cook until tender, about 2 more minutes. Drain on paper towels.
• Drain the fat from the pan. Return the skillet to the stove. Add the wine, lime juice, chilies and scallions. Turn the heat up to medium-high and simmer until sauce reduces to 1/3 cup, about 3 to 5 minutes. Place two crabs on each of four plates. Drizzle with sauce and garnish with minced mint, basil and coriander leaves.

THAI SOFT-SHELL CRABS

Steps:

• Combine the milk and Tabasco in a bowl. Set aside. Mix the flour, salt and pepper in a shallow pan. Dip the crabs in the milk and dredge in flour mixture. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottom skillet over medium-high heat. Place the crabs in pan and cook for 3 minutes. Turn and cook until tender, about 2 more minutes. Drain on paper towels.
• Drain the fat from the pan. Return the skillet to the stove. Add the wine, lime juice, chilies and scallions. Turn the heat up to medium-high and simmer until sauce reduces to 1/3 cup, about 3 to 5 minutes. Place two crabs on each of four plates. Drizzle with sauce and garnish with minced mint, basil and coriander leaves.

BROILED SOFT SHELLED CRABS

Steps:

• Season the milk with the Old Bay, salt and pepper.
• Soak the crabs in the seasoned milk for 15 minutes then drain.
• Sprinkle each crab all over with 1 tablespoon flour.
• Brush the bottom side of each crab with melted butter.
• Broil, top side down, for 8 minutes.
• Flip them over, brush the top side with butter and broil for about 7 more minutes or until golden brown.
• Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

PAN-FRIED SOFT-SHELL CRABS

Steps:

• Whisk flour, salt, and pepper; place on a dinner plate. Dredge 2 soft-shell crabs in flour mixture, shaking off excess (make sure crabs are completely coated).
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. The oil should be very hot but not smoking. Place flour-coated crabs, back side down, in sauté pan; reduce heat to medium if pan starts to smoke. Sauté crabs until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes (do not stand too close to pan; crabs tend to spatter during cooking). Turn crabs over, and cook 2 minutes more.
• Add 1 tablespoon butter and a large pinch of parsley to skillet. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over crabs. Keep warm in a low oven. Repeat process until all the crabs are cooked.

SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH CURRY BUTTER

Steps:

• Make the curry butter: Put the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds and cloves in a dry skillet over medium heat. When spices are lightly toasted and fragrant, after a minute or so, grind them to a powder in a mortar or electric spice mill. Add nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne and turmeric.
• Put butter in a bowl. Add spices, garlic, ginger, salt and lime zest and juice. Mash seasonings into butter with a wooden spoon. Add crushed almonds and scallions, then mix until well incorporated. (May be prepared several hours ahead, or up to 1 day in advance.)
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons curry butter, let melt and swirl pan to distribute. Dust crabs lightly with rice flour, if using. When butter is foamy, add crabs in one layer and raise heat. Let crabs cook 3 minutes, then turn, using tongs, and cook 3 minutes on the other side. (Be careful, as crabs may spatter.) Remove crabs and keep warm.
• Add 4 tablespoons curry butter to pan and let sizzle. Add pea shoots and cook briefly until wilted, 1 minute or less.
• Arrange crabs on a warm platter or individual plates. Garnish with wilted pea shoots and lime wedges. Spoon melted curry butter from pan over crabs and serve at once.

SHEILA'S SAUTEED SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH LEMON BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• In Ziploc bag, add flour and Old Bay seasoning. Seal and shake to mix.
• In bowl, combine eggs and milk.
• Dredge crabs in egg mixture, then add to seasoned flour and shake to coat. Shake off excess when removing from bag.
• Heat 3 T. oil in large saute pan or skillet over medium heat. Add 3 crabs in a single layer and cook for about 3 minutes, then turn and cook for another 3 minutes. The crabs should be nice and golden brown. (Be careful when cooking, because they sometimes will pop and/or spatter.) Remove crabs to serving dish.
• Heat remaining 3 T. oil in pan, then add the next 3 crabs and repeat cooking instructions.
• Do not clean out pan when crabs are removed, but add butter. Let the butter melt and turn a little brown. Add the capers and the wine. Cook for about 1 minute, then add the lemon juice and the parsley. Cook for about 2 more minutes, or until reduced by about a third. Pour sauce over the crabs and serve.