Ginger Crab Recipes

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!

FAMOUS ROAST GARLIC CRAB

Steps:

• Cleaning dungeness crab:
• Holding the body backside up, place your right thumb in the joint between the upper and lower shell on the side opposite the mouth. Your palm will be stretched across the top of the shell. Hold the bottom of the crab in your opposite hand. Force your thumb in and pull up and back to your right until shell snaps off. Pour any juices in the shell into a small bowl. Cut the body into quarters with a large knife. Twist the legs off the body. Crack lightly in several places with a nutcracker and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a very large ovenproof saute pan over medium-high heat until hot. (You may need 2 pans.) Add the crab and garlic, and toss well. Saute for about 10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper and mix in lemon juice. Saute for another 5 minutes, then add parsley. After another 1 or 2 minutes, remove the crab and serve in the newspaper lined cans.

SINGAPORE CHILLI CRAB

Steps:

• The crab must be prepared before stir-frying (you can ask your fishmonger to do this). This involves removing the claws, the main shell, discarding the dead man's fingers, then cutting the body into four pieces, and cracking the claws and the legs so the sauce can get through to the meat.
• Heat the oil in a large wok and sizzle the garlic, ginger and chopped chillies for 1 min or until fragrant. Add the ketchup, soy and 100ml water, and stir to combine. Throw in the crab, turn up the heat and stir-fry for 3-5 mins or until the crab is piping hot and coated in the sauce. Stir through most of the coriander, spring onions and sliced chilli.
• Use tongs to arrange the crab on a serving dish, pour over the sauce from the pan and scatter over the remaining coriander, spring onions and sliced chilli. Serve with rice or bao buns, and a lot of napkins.

GINGER SCALLION DUNGENESS CRAB STIR FRY

Steps:

• Remove the top shells from the crabs. Halve each crab body and cut each half into 2 pieces. Using a meat mallet or the back of a chef's knife, gently smash the claws to break up the shell slightly. Transferred the crab body pieces to a colander set over a large bowl. Place the top shells and claws on a plate.
• Separate the scallion whites and greens. Split the scallion whites lengthwise, cut into 2-inch pieces and place in a small bowl. Cut the remaining scallion greens into 2-inch pieces and place in another small bowl.
• Make the sauce. Whisk the oyster sauce, sugar, white pepper and 1/2 cup water in a medium bowl until combined. Set aside.
• Shake off the excess liquid from the crab pieces in the colander over the sink. Reserve the large bowl. Transfer half of the crab pieces to a large plate and set aside.
• Sprinkle 2 tablespoons cornstarch over the crab pieces in the colander and toss until coated completely. Place the colander over the reserved large bowl. Wait to coat the remaining crab until the first batch is frying to prevent the cornstarch from becoming too thick.
• Fill a wok or high-sided large skillet a little less than halfway (about 3 inches) with canola oil and heat over high until shimmering. Carefully add the coated crab to the oil. Fry until the crab legs begin to turn orange and the cornstarch coating is translucent, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, transfer the crab pieces on the plate to the colander. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cornstarch, toss to coat and set aside. Wash your hands, then use a slotted spoon or spider to transfer the fried crab pieces to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining crab.
• Remove all but 3 tablespoons of oil from the wok and reduce the heat to medium high. Add the garlic, ginger and scallion whites. Gently stir-fry until the garlic and ginger are golden brown and the scallion whites soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the claws and all of the crab pieces and toss with a wooden spoon or metal spoon. Add the Shaoxing wine and cook until reduced slightly, about 15 seconds. Add the oyster sauce mixture, scallion greens and 1/2 cup water. Toss again until well combined. Place the reserved crab top shells, hard side-up, on top in the wok and cover. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the crab is vibrant orange and fully cooked through, about 8 minutes (see Cook's Note).
• Meanwhile, mix the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch with 1 1/2 teaspoons water in a small bowl. Remove the lid and drizzle the slurry on the crab. Toss again, increase the heat and bring to a full boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.
• Transfer to a platter and serve warm with white rice.

MALAYSIAN-STYLE GINGER-CHILE CRAB

Steps:

• If using live crabs, pour water in a large pot to a depth of 1 1/2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, add crabs, turn heat to medium-high, cover and steam until crabs are bright orange-red and all the blue-green color is gone, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and rinse under cold running water. (If using precooked crabs, skip to Step 2.)
• Clean the crabs: Grasp the top shell at the front, pull it away from the body and discard it. Turn the crab over, pry off the triangular apron and discard it, along with the spongy white gills. Grab the legs and claws close to the body, twist them off, and crack the claws lightly with a hammer. Discard the legs (or, if you are a crab fanatic, suck the meat out of them). You want to end up with a body and 2 claws, including knuckles, from each crab. Snap the body in half, using a chef's knife to cut through the shell if necessary.
• In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons oil over high heat until it just begins to smoke. Add half the crab bodies and claws and sauté, tossing frequently with your tongs, for about 3 minutes. Add half of each of the remaining ingredients, except the salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute more.
• Remove everything from pan, add remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and repeat with remaining crabs and ingredients. Season with salt and black pepper. Serve warm or room temperature, with nutcrackers and picks.

GINGER ONION CRAB

Steps:

• Heat wok and add the oils.
• Dump in ginger till fragrant.
• Add in onions and garlic.
• Stir fry till soft. Pour in oyster sauce, vinegar, sugar and soy. Let simmer.
• Add in cleaned crabs that's been halved.
• Cover, Simmer till crab changes color only.
• Stir vigorously to combine ingredients.
• Add about 1/4 cup of hot water and let the sauce simmer.
• Dump in leeks, cook 1 more minute and dish up.
• Serve with piping hot bowl of rice!

CRAB-FILLED EGG ROLLS WITH GINGER-LIME DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Place an egg-roll wrapper on a work surface. Center 3 Tbs. crabmeat on the wrapper, forming it into a log. Fold the corner closest to you tightly over the filling, then overlap right and left corners. Then, as if forming a cigarette, roll wrapper tightly, moistening the end with wet fingertips. Press to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers and crab.
• Heat oil in a Dutch oven to 300 degrees. Cook rolls, 5 at a time, turning once, until blond, about 2 minutes. Drain, cool and refrigerate in a zipper-lock bag. (Can be prepared to this point up to 3 days ahead.) Reserve oil.
• Several hours before serving, mix dipping sauce ingredients together. Heat oven to 200 degrees. Reheat oil to 375 degrees in Dutch oven. Cook rolls again, 5 at a time, turning once, until crisp and golden brown, about 2 minutes. Drain on a rack set over a lipped cookie sheet and place in warm oven; can be held up to 20 minutes.
• Cut each roll into thirds, sprinkle with cilantro and serve with dipping sauce.