Crab is a beloved ingredient across many Asian cuisines. From stir-fries to curries, crab adds succulent flavor and texture to dishes. While cooking crab may seem intimidating to novice cooks mastering a few simple techniques opens up a world of mouthwatering recipes you can easily make at home. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore how to select prepare, and cook crab for authentic Asian crab recipes.
Selecting and Preparing Crab for Cooking
The first step to cooking superb crab dishes is choosing high-quality fresh crab. Here are some tips:
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Live or fresh crab – Opt for live or fresh crab instead of frozen or canned The meat will have better texture and flavor,
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Popular varieties – Excellent options like blue crab, king crab, snow crab, and Dungeness crab are common choices with great taste.
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Cleaning crab – Rinse live crab under cold water. Use kitchen shears to remove the top shell, gills, eyes, mouth parts, and legs. Discard unusable parts or save for stock.
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Cutting crab – Cut the body in half lengthwise. Then cut each half into 2-3 pieces. Crack the legs and claws using a mallet or rolling pin.
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Avoid overcooking – Crab can go from tender to rubbery quickly. Follow recipe cook times carefully.
With high-quality crab and proper preparation, you’re ready to cook. Now let’s explore cooking techniques.
Classic Cooking Methods for Crab
There are several excellent ways to cook crab for Asian recipes. Here are some top techniques:
Boiling
Boiling crab in seasoned water is a straightforward cooking method. Use a large pot and boil crab for 5-8 minutes until the shell turns red and the meat is opaque. The boiling liquid keeps the meat moist and infuses flavor. Serve crab boil with dipping sauces.
Steaming
Steaming is a common way to cook crab in Asian cuisine. Place crab pieces in a bamboo steamer lined with cabbage leaves or cheesecloth. Steam for 4-7 minutes over rapidly boiling water and serve. The gentle heat keeps the crab meat succulent.
Stir-Frying
Cooking crab in a very hot wok while tossing and stirring is a classic technique. Use a bit of oil and stir-fry crab 2-3 minutes just until opaque. The wok’s high heat seals in the natural juices.
Deep-Frying
Coating crab pieces in a crispy batter then deep-frying is popular in many Asian cuisines. Fry at 350°F for 2-3 minutes until lightly golden. The hot oil makes the batter ultra crispy.
Simmering in Sauce
Braising crab in flavorful sauces is key for dishes like curries. Simmer crab 5-8 minutes until just cooked through to absorb the sauce. Aim for sauces that cling to the meat.
Handy Tips for Flavorful Asian Crab Recipes
With the basics of selecting, preparing and cooking crab covered, let’s explore some pro tips for making your Asian crab dishes shine:
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Avoid over-seasoning – Crab has a naturally sweet, delicate flavor. Use a light hand with spices and let the crab shine.
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Make a sauce – Lively sauces with ginger, garlic, chilies and cilantro give an extra flavor boost.
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Use cornstarch – A cornstarch coating seals in crab juices and gives a pleasing crunch when fried.
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Pair with rice – Steamed jasmine rice and crab are natural complements. Rice soaks up delicious sauce.
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Supplement with veggies – Onions, bok choy, carrots and bell peppers balance the richness.
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Garnish with herbs – Cilantro, basil, mint and scallions add freshness.
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Serve with bread – Dip fried or sauced crab with steamed buns or flatbread to soak up the sauce.
Classic Asian Crab Recipe Ideas
Ready to put your skills to work? Here are some quintessential Asian crab dish ideas to try at home:
Ginger Scallion Crab
This Cantonese recipe combines the bright flavors of ginger and scallions with plump crab. A cornstarch coating adds crispy texture when fried.
Tips: Use a very hot wok and fry crab just 1-2 minutes to seal in juices. Adding garlic and rice wine enhances the taste.
Singapore Chilli Crab
A national dish of Singapore, this is an irresistible mix of spicy, sweet and saucy. Use mud crabs or blue swimmer crabs. The rich sauce begs to be soaked up with steamed buns.
Tips: Pound up the crab shells to add back to the sauce for more flavor. Simmer crab 6-8 minutes until the sauce reduces down.
Thai Red Curry Crab
Red curry paste gives this Thai dish its hallmark spicy-sweet flavor. Lemongrass, basil and coconut milk complement the plump crab. Serve with jasmine rice.
Tips: Sauté the curry paste briefly first to intensify the flavor. Add crab pieces 5 minutes before serving so they don’t overcook.
Crab Fried Rice
Transform leftover rice into quick crab fried rice. Sweet crab meat pairs perfectly with rice, egg, garlic, soy sauce and veggies for a fast one-pan meal.
Tips: Use chilled, firm rice from the fridge. Toss the rice rather than aggressively stirring to avoid mushiness.
Roasted Garlic Crab
Roasting crab coated in butter, garlic and spices yields tender, juicy meat. The trick is generously applying the garlic-herb butter under and on top of the crab while baking.
Tips: Melt the butter first to infuse it with the garlic flavor. Baste the crab every 5 minutes to prevent drying out.
Time to Get Cooking!
Now that you have mastered the key techniques and tips for selecting, preparing and cooking crab, you can confidently make restaurant-worthy Asian crab recipes at home. From steaming garlic crab to stir-fried chili crab, the possibilities are endless. Surprise your family with a spectacular crab feast! Got a favorite Asian crab dish? Share your recipes and experiences cooking this fantastic seafood ingredient.
Choice of tofu
I am using Japanese egg tofu. It is semi-firm, smooth with the taste of the egg.
You can pick any tofu, but I suggest you pick semi-firm or firm tofu for this recipe since soft tofu can break into small pieces when you flip and stir them in the thick crab meat sauce.
Egg tofu comes in a cylinder shape. Cut it into 1.5 cm/half-inch thick discs. If you are using other tofu, cut it into bite-sized squares.
You have the option to deep-frying the tofu before braising with the crab meat. If you want to deep-fry the tofu, lightly coated it with some cornstarch and deep-fried it until golden yellow. The surface of the tofu will form a slightly chewy skin layer, hence has a different mouthfeel.
The tofu will be silky smooth if you skip the deep frying. It is also healthier and less oily. Both ways are delicious, so the choice is yours.
Other ingredients for the tofu (you are free to pick)
You may also add a variety of ingredients to the basic recipe. I use the following items, but you can have a different list of items.
Dried Chinese mushroom. The mushroom has a distinctive aroma and a contrasting texture to the tofu. You need to soak it overnight, remove the stem and cut it into small dice.
Carrot. A small amount of carrot cut into julienne or thin slices enhance the color of the dish.
Leek. Cut It into thin slices diagonally. You may use the white section of the scallion or celery as the substitute.
Dad’s TASTY Ginger & Scallion Crab (薑蔥炒蟹)!
FAQ
How to cook Asian shore crabs?
Heat the oil in a big heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer. Meanwhile, stir together the flour and salt and coat the crabs in it, shaking off excess. When the oil is hot enough (325 to 335 degrees), add the crabs, a dozen or so at a time, frying until shells begin to redden and coating becomes a golden brown.
What is the best method of cooking crabs?
Take them home and prepare a steamer. You can boil them, but steaming is arguably the best way of cooking crab. You can add a teaspoon of vinegar to your steamer’s water reserve or to your boil. A touch of vinegar makes the picking (of the meat) easier. You’ll know they’re done once they turn bright red.
How to steam crab Chinese style?
- Place the ginger and shallots on the plate.
- Wash the crab, separate the crab cover from the crab body, and place it on the plate with the ginger and shallots.
- In each piece of crab cover and crab body, add 2 teaspoons of Chinese Wine to each. …
- Steam with water beneath the plate for 10 minutes, then serve.