Ginger Scallion Crab
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
45 mins
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Cook Time
35 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
237 kcal
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Course
Main Course
Ginger Scallion Crab
Description
The dish begins by chilling live blue crabs to ease handling, then removing claws, legs, and internal parts like gills and stomachs before cutting them in halves. The crab is dipped in beaten egg white and lightly coated with cornstarch to protect the protein and facilitate frying. Deep frying the crab until it turns orange-red partially cooks it and adds a slight crispiness. Then, aromatics including smashed garlic, sliced ginger, and green onions are stir-fried with a mixture of sesame oil, rice wine, soy sauce, sugar, salt, white pepper, and water to build a flavorful sauce. The crab is added back and cooked further in the sauce with lid covered to steam briefly, then crab roe is stirred in if using. A cornstarch slurry is added last to thicken the sauce to a glossy coating over the crab pieces.
This dish showcases a combination of textures with fried crab and a tender saucy finish. The ginger and scallion provide strong fresh aromatics that balance the richness of crab. It is suitable for serving as a main dish with steamed rice, allowing the sauce to be enjoyed fully.
Preparation of live crab can be demanding; purchasing pre-cleaned crab is an option. The crab roe can be reserved for congee or added to the dish as preferred. The method ensures crab remains juicy with a flavorful sauce coating without overcooking.
Ingredients
- 4 blue crab fresh
- 5 lices ginger
- 5 cloves garlic
- 4 ticks green onion
Deep Fry Crab:
- 1 large egg white
- ¼ cup cornstarch (Use for dusting the crabs)
- 2 cups vegetable oil (For deep frying crabs)
Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cooking rice wine
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
- 1.5 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 cup water
Thicken sauce:
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- If you have alive and active crabs, I recommend putting them in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours before handling the crabs. Remove the claws and cut the pointy legs. (I used 4 blue crabs. And, some people like to use a knife to mash the claw a little bit, so it can absorb the sauce when cooking.)
- Open the shell.
- Take out the roe and use it later. Or, you can use to make congee.
- Open the flap at the back of the crab and remove it. Remember to scrub the back of the crab.
- Cut the crab into half and take out the roe (save it for later) and remove the gills (don't eat the gills).
- Remove and discard the stomach.
- Take out the roe on the shell and cut the front shell a little bit.
- After all, wash and scrub the crabs to remove dirt and mud.
- Cut 4 sticks of green onion into half and strips.
- Peel off 5 cloves of garlic and use the knife to smash the garlic.
- Beat 1 large egg white, then dip the crab into the egg white.
- After, put ¼ cup of cornstarch in the container. Dust crab with cornstarch.
- Pour 2 cups of vegetable oil into the wok.
- Turn on medium low fire. Use wooden chopsticks to test if oil is hot enough. You will see some bubbles around the wooden chopsticks when the oil is hot enough. Or, use a thermometer to test oil around 350F.
- Deep fry the leg parts, then the claws and shells.
- Slightly deep fry the crabs until it changes to an orange red color. (Don’t need to fully cook them at this point because you will stir fry it later.)
- Pour 1 tablespoon of sesame oil into the wok. Add 5 slices of ginger. Then, add 5 cloves of garlic. Stir fry them a little bit. (If you are worried about sesame oil being heated up, use vegetable oil to stir fry ginger and garlic. You can add some sesame oil after cooking.)
- Then, add 4 sticks of green onion, the top part.
- Next, put the deep fried crabs into the wok.
- After that, add 1 tablespoon of cooking rice wine, 1.5 teaspoon of soy sauce, ¼ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of sugar, ⅛ teaspoon of white pepper and 1 cup of water. Stir it a little bit and cover the lid for 2-3 minutes.
- The following step, put the roe into the wok. Keep stir frying the crabs.
- In a small container, add ½ tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water. Mix it well.
- Lastly, pour the cornstarch mixture and keep stir frying the crabs until the sauce is thickened or less sauce. Then, add the bottom part of the green onion, mix it and ready to serve.
Notes
- If your crabs are active, refrigerate for 1-2 hours before preparation to calm them for easier handling.
- Remove claws, pointy legs, internal gills, stomach, and clean scrupulously; do not eat gills or stomach.
- Dip crab pieces in egg white and coat with cornstarch to protect proteins and aid in frying.
- Deep-fry crab until orange-red but do not fully cook; final cooking happens in the stir-fry sauce.
- Save crab roe for adding into the dish near the end or use it separately for congee.
- Stir-fry ginger, garlic, and scallions with sauce ingredients, then simmer crab briefly with the sauce covered.
- Thicken sauce at the end with cornstarch slurry for a glossy coating.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 237 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 237kcal | 12% |
| Carbohydrates | 11g | 4% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 22g | 34% |
| Saturated Fat | 15g | 75% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 1mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 298mg | 12% |
| Potassium | 49mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 11IU | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 2mg | 2% |
| Calcium | 12mg | 1% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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