(Chinese recipes, prepare authentic Chinese food now!)
Remember that scene in Pretty Woman when Julia Roberts was trying to devour her escargot and it flew across the table?
I had that exact “Pretty Woman” moment–a disgraceful and embarrassing one I must say–at a Chinese restaurant recently. It was a plate of mouth-watering ginger and scallion crab, and the character in play was a succulent crab claw, the last one remaining. The culprit was a crab cracker. Being my clumsy self, coupled with the sin of gluttony, my crab claw flew across the table and landed on the carpet at a sad and dark corner of the restaurant. And there was no waiter to catch it for me!
Throughout the dinner, I kept looking down at the poor crab claw that I almost had in my mouth. It was a huge and beautiful crab claw. The shell was perfectly cracked and revealed the juicy meat inside. Drool…mmmm….I was this close to eating that crab claw. Darn it.
So when I was grocery shopping today and saw that Dungeness crab was on sale for $3.99 per pound, I knew exactly what I was going to make–ginger and scallion crab.
If you’ve been to a real Chinese restaurants in the United States, I am sure you are familiar with ginger and scallion crab (姜葱蟹). Crabs are mostly prepared two ways in these Chinese restaurants: ginger and scallion or salt and pepper crab. Personally, I love the wok-hei infused ginger and scallion crab. In my opinion, ginger and scallion are perfect matches made for Chinese stir-fry dishes–be it seafood or meat. (Previously on Rasa Malaysia, I had dished up ginger and scallion chicken.)
Eating out, ginger and scallion crab is rather pricey but I spent less than $6 making it at home. If you think that ginger and scallion crab is one of those dishes that is better served at Chinese restaurants, think twice. The recipe is very easy and takes only a few basic ingredients.
As for me, not only did I have my fix of ginger and scallion crab, I had two crab claws all to myself. And no, they didn’t fly across the table this time. ;)
The Dungeness crab season is starting soon. Get ready for a fabulous crab season with these crab recipes on Rasa Malaysia:
- Roasted crab with butter and black pepper
- My mom’s famous chili crab
- Black Pepper Crab – A Malaysian and Singaporean favorite
Ingredients:
1 crab (about 1 1/2 – 2 pounds)
2 inches ginger (peeled and sliced into 10-12 pieces)
3 stalks scallion (cut into 2-inch length)
3 tablespoons corn starch (for frying)
1 tablespoon cooking oil
Oil for deep frying
Sauce:
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 dashes white pepper powder
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
6 tablespoons water
3/4 teaspoon corn starch
1/8 teaspoon fish sauce
Method:
Mix the sauce and set aside.
Clean the crab and cut into pieces. Pat dry with paper towels and put into a big bowl. Add the corn flour to the bowl and lightly coat the crab pieces with it. Heat up a wok and add cooking oil. When the oil is heated, drop the crab pieces and deep fry. As soon as they turn red, dish out, strain the excess oil and set aside.
Heat up a wok and add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Add the ginger and stir-fry until aromatic. Put the crab pieces into the wok and quickly stir a few times before adding the sauce. Add the chopped scallions, toss the crab in the wok a few times until well coated with the sauce, dish out and serve immediately.
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{ 34 comments… read them below or add one }
I love ginger and scallion crab. I usually order it at Chinese restaurants. Anyway, love your funny story about the crab claw and love your ginger and scallion crab recipe, too.
Kate
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Great recipe. I see that you don’t use chicken broth, do you think that would add more flavor? I’ll try that recipe with lobster as well.
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This looks fantastic! I always have that problem at restaurants (making a mess when eating crab), so I rarely order it, but it’s one of my favorite things. I’ll have to try this at home sometime!
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I so understand that longing look of the crab claw on the floor!
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Just have live flower crabs in Teluk Bahang, Penang at RM42.00 a kilo! But it is worth it. It’s about USD5.6/lb. Your recipe is very traditional Chinese except for the fish sauce. Some Chinese wine may be nice. It is a good reminder for me who is cooking periodically. The ingredients can be adapted for most stir-fry seafood dishes. And its healthy! Thanks.
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hi there, this is one of my favourite crab dishes! yummy a very fragrant and delicious dish..thanks for the recipe!
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So nice! My mum used to cook flower crabs like this too and she would beat an egg in to thicken up the sauce.
Is there a rule of thumb to make sure that the crabs are cooked just nice? Big massive crabs like the Sri Lankan ones are a challenge to me to gauge the “doneness” :P
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It’s easier to devour crabs at home. It can fly every corner but it’s your home at least :)
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Oh this looks amazing. I love crabs but I stop short at being able to kill them (the fresh meat crabs we get here that is) :P
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never tasted this before but i do love crab – even just steamed alone!
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I love crabs – done any which way.
It is always so much better to eat crabs at home – you don't need to be elegant about it & you certainly don't have to worry about flying crab claws.
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3.99/lb? Guess its time to get me some crabs too! ;)
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At least it did not hit anybody. Yes, better to eat crab at home that way it may fly wherever it pleases.
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I love crabs! It’s difficult to get in London :( I just remember back home in Malaysia, I ate a lot of them. I think the last time I had crabs was in California :) I managed to eat as much to satisfy my taste buds :)
You are making me drooling now!! I want some crab claws too :)
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i love crab la… but dun know how to cook as u know…
will pass this to my mum…
i like my mum cooking on crab porridge… yummy yummy…
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You’re not the only one — I had a crab claw go flying in a restaurant, too, and even today when I think about it I blush! It didn’t hit anyone, but it bruised my self-esteem…
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i am scared every time i go to seafood restaurant for crab. i am afraid the crab flew away moment will happen to me!
i love the crab cooked with the egg gravy. i have no idea on how to cook that. only my mom do. :)
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my favourite´s cheese crab or chilli crab still but this looks good too.
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OH NO..the crab claw! with the best bit of meat in it. sorry to hear abt tht. awww. but this dish loooks so amazing i hope it’s wiped away all feelings of melancholia! x
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Your hubby let you have both claws? How sweet.
Only one more month until Dungeness crab season opens up! Yum yum.
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Oooh I’m one of those who prefer to whack my crabs at restaurants. Hey, I even have designated dark T-shirts for such delicious meals.
=D
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This style i think originated from HK? Funny that we don’t have this here in Malaysia although ginger and scallion being used to stir fry other meat. Anyway, i love cooking some egg noodles to put underneath the crab to soak the gravy. NIce! Ahh..ok ok…am going to make some thie weekend cos am feeling crabby again.
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wow! crabs are my favorite seafood.
i’ve eaten chilly crabs and fried crabs before but urs looks so yummy. I will give ur recipe a try when i can get my hands on some crabs.
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Had this a million times at restaurants, but never made it until I saw your recipe. Excellent and easy! I used pre-cooked crabs from Costoc, so I did not fry, but it was still yummy.
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what else ? what could I say? it is just beautiful and very tempting..ahh, why are you living so far ? ;-) cheers
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$6?!? Wow, not only do you cook like a world-class chef, but you still manage to do so affordably!
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haha I had that pretty woman moment as well. Except it was with a mussel, and the mussel shell flew across the table and actually smashed a wine glass….. The scary thing? I cooked the mussel! haha
Fantastic looking crab btw!
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Wo. good crab. I like to eat crab.
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Of all the blogs I read yours has the highest percentage of recipes that I want to make. 100%
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STUNNING! I’ve been searching far and wide for the salt and pepper fried crab they serve at Chinese restaurants. Any chance you know how to make?
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ouch wat a waste indeed..if it does look as good as the ones u cooked here..
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I surprised my hubby making this recipe and it was to die for..So delicious!!! I've been searching for Chinese recipes that are exact to the taste you get at the restaurant, and yours are by far the closest ever. Thanks for sharing your recipe. I've also tried the Ginger & Scallion Chicken, Snow Peas and Shrimp…and today I'll be making your Kung Pao Chicken. HUNGRY!!
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I loved meat crab…I learnt with mom how to prepare this delicious…other time I will try to do this recipe that like very good :))
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Rasa Malaysia replied:
If you love crab, you will lover this ginger scallion crab. It’s one of the most popular crab dish in Chinese restaurants :)
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I always thought one should respond to a recipe, with a comment about having tried it, rating it, perhaps adding suggestions. Guess I’m wrong. Anyway, I went out and purchased two (2) Dungeness crab today(Nov.1/09) in Halifax, and they cost on sale at $8.95 per pound, $24. each for a total of $48. I have your recipe, and the salt and pepper crab recipe. I have not yet made my decision. Hang in there! (But I keep thinking back to Lobster in black bean sauce).
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Rasa Malaysia replied:
Good luck I hope you get to try my ginger and scallion crab recipe.
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