Hong Kong Foodie

Salt and Pepper Soft-Shell Crab

Photography by James Kim

Crabs may be a Virginia staple, but they’re enjoyed all over the world. Ping toque Chun-Mui Kwok picked up a penchant for these Sino-spiced crustaceans during his salad days in Southern China. “Biting into this dish is [like] going back to the beachside seafood shacks in Lamma Island around Hong Kong,” Kwok shares. “Add a nice San Miguel beer, and it’s like never leaving Asia.”

Chun-Mui Kwok
Executive chef, Ping by Charlie Chiang’s

PREP TIME: 20 min.
COOK TIME: 10 min.
SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS
2 green onions
1/4 yellow onion
1/4 each red and green pepper
3 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon chicken bullion powder
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder
6 cups plus 1 teaspoon oil
6 jumbo soft-shell crabs, defrosted and cleaned
2 large egg whites
6 tablespoons corn starch

PREPARATION
Dice green onion, yellow onion, red and green bell peppers and garlic cloves into pinto bean-sized pieces. Reserve.

Mix together the salt, sugar, bullion powder, white pepper and five-spice powder. Reserve.

Heat the 6 cups of oil in a deep pot to about 350 F.

Place crabs in egg white, and mix to coat. Add corn starch, and stir until batter begins to form.

Fry each soft-shell crab for 1 minute.

Add a teaspoon of oil into a non-stick pan or wok, and stir-fry the diced vegetables over high heat until aromatic (about 2 to 3 minutes). Add the soft-shell crabs to the mixed vegetables. Stir-fry 1 minute more.

Sprinkle on the spice mix, and toss 3 to 4 times. Turn off the heat, and toss 3 to 4 times more.

(Optional: Serve alongside a sweet Thai chili sauce.)

(August 2009)

Tags: onions, pepper, salt, soft-shell crab