June 5, 2012

Stir Fry Crabs with Ginger and Scallions 姜葱蟹

chinese, recipe, crab, ginger, scallions, spring onion, stir fry crab, 姜葱蟹
By Published: 2012-06-05
This is the best crab dish.  Bar none.  Even better than the popular curry crab dishes that abound (which I think are overrated anyways).  Just fresh crab, ginger and scallions.  A simple trinity of three foods to create an absolute.  Absolute of taste, that is.  Simplicity and decadence on the same white plate.

For this Stir Fry Crab with Ginger and Scallion, or 姜葱蟹, we picked up from the wet market a mud crab which is a more meaty crab.  But any crab will do for this dish as long as it is fresh. And there are all kinds of crabs, an abundance of choice really, at the wet markets in Hong Kong.  

Ah, to live by the sea!  What a dream come true.  Of sorts anyways.  We have all the seafood we can possibly cook and eat but are stuffed like sardines into shoebox sized homes piled in towering, untidy heaps along a polluted harbor.  Sigh...

chinese, recipe, crab, ginger, scallions, spring onion, stir fry crab, 姜葱蟹
Stir Fry Crabs w/ Ginger and Scallions  姜葱蟹
(Prep time: 3 mins  Cook time: 8 mins)

Ingredients:

  • 1 mud crab (or whatever crab you like, if smaller size buy two crabs)
  • 10 slices ginger (1/4" thick and a bit bigger size than your thumb)
  • 3 to 4 spring onions washed and cut to 2" lengths
  • 2 tbsp peanut oil
  • 1/3 cup rice wine
  • 1 tsp sugar

Directions:

Prepare crab:  Wash crab, pull off the top shell, put aside, pull off the gills and discard.  Chop the body to number of pieces desired with a chopper.  (We chopped to 4 pieces but you can definitely do more)  

Stir fry:  Heat wok to hot, add oil.  Add in ginger slice and half the scallions and stir fry until fragrant.  Drop in all the crab pieces, including the top shell.  (The top shell has some delicious roe and bits that are a household favorite here.  Try it and you might just like it as much as we do.)  Stir fry over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, turning the crab over and around to expose all sides to heat until crab is browning in spots.  

Braise:  Pour in the rice wine, add sugar, stir once and cover.  Turn heat down to medium and cook for 5 minutes, checking once in a while.  If it becomes too dry in the wok, add a bit of water (1/4 c at most).  The point here is to have enough liquid in the wok to keep the crab meat moist at the end of your cooking time but none to little sauce. 

With 2 minutes left to go add the rest of the scallion and stir once and cover.  To check if crab is done, stick a fork into the fleshy bits.  If the crab meat separates easily it is done.  Take out immediately and serve hot.

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4 comments:

  1. This is also great with shrimp with the shell on. Really flavorful and with few ingredients.

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    Replies
    1. Yummy, that does sound good! Must try it out. ~ellen

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  2. it's really a mouthful and it's one of my favorite food... Crabs... I deffinitely add it again for my emoloyers next week's menu... Thanks hongkongcookery..

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