Ginger Scallion Crab (using Blue swimmer crabs)
Got some fresh, beautiful crabs? Use them in this classic Ginger Scallion Crab dish for an authentic Chinese experience at home
Video
Ingredients
- 2kg / 4.4lb (or 4 large) Blue swimmer crabs, cleaned cut into quarters (NOTE 1)
- ½ cup (75g / 2.7oz) cornflour or cornstarch
- vegetable or canola oil to fry
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 60g / 2oz ginger, sliced thinly
- 3 (110g / 3.8oz) spring onions or scallions, 2.5cm or 1in slices
FOR THE SAUCE
- 1 tbsp (20ml / 0.7floz) oil (use leftover oil from frying)
- 2 tbsp (40ml /1.4floz) Shaoxing wine (NOTE 2)
- ¼ cup (60ml / 2floz) light soy sauce (NOTE 3)
- ¼ cup (60ml / 2floz) oyster sauce (NOTE 4)
- 2 cup (500ml / 17floz) water
- 1 tsp chicken powder (NOTE 5)
- 1 tsp white sugar
- ½ tsp white pepper
- 2 tsp cornflour or cornstarch
- 2 tbsp water (extra for slurry)
- 2 tsp roasted sesame oil (NOTE 6)
Instructions
- Combine half of the crab and flour in a large sealed plastic snap bag with air. Give the bag a shake to cover all the crab pieces in flour. Repeat this process with the remaining crab and flour.
- In a large wok or deep frying pan, pour enough oil to cover the base by 2.5cm / 1in. Heat oil over medium-high heat. The oil is ready when it sizzles when you dip a crab leg in. Fry the crabs until they turn orange on all sides. You may have to do this in batches. Transfer the fried crabs to a large plate.
- Remove most of the oil from the wok, leaving just approximately 1 to 2 tablespoons. Heat oil over medium-high heat, then add the garlic and ginger. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes, then add Shaoxing wine, stir for 1 minute. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce and water, then bring mixture to a simmer. Stir in chicken powder, sugar and white pepper, then add in the crab. Carefully stir the crab until it's coated in sauce, then cover and cook for 3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make a slurry by mixing the flour and water together. Remove the lid from the wok, then pour in the slurry. Gently stir until the sauce has thickened, then add in the spring onions and sesame oil. Cook for a minute, then have a taste, adjust seasoning to your liking if needed. Crab tastes best when served immediately.
Notes
(NOTE 1) Blue swimmer crabs - I used fresh local Australian Blue Swimmer Crabs, which are smaller than mud crabs. I used four crabs weighing approximately 500gm / 1.1lb each. You can use any fresh crab, including mud crabs, for this recipe. Check out my post and video on How to Prepare Crabs for the best way to clean them.
(NOTE 2) Shaoxing cooking wine is a Chinese cooking wine, also referred to as Shao Xing or Shao Hsing. It's widely used in Chinese cuisine to enhance the flavours of various dishes. Shaoxing cooking wine is made from fermented rice. You can find reasonably priced bottles of Shaoxing wine at Asian specialty stores, and some supermarkets carry them too. Mirin or dry sherry are good substitutes for Shaoxing wine.
(NOTE 3) Light soy sauce or regular soy sauce are both fine, but dark or sweet soy sauces won't work since they're not interchangeable. Light soy sauce is a savoury condiment commonly used in Asian cuisine. It has a rich, umami flavour and is often used as a seasoning or dipping sauce.
(NOTE 4) Oyster sauce - Despite its name, oyster sauce does not have a strong oyster or fishy flavour. Oyster sauce adds a depth of flavour to dishes and has a rich, savoury and slightly sweet flavour profile. Find oyster sauce by looking in the international section at a supermarket or visit an Asian grocer.
(NOTE 5) Chicken powder - I cannot live without Knorr Chicken Powder (not sponsored). It seriously enhances the taste in many of my savoury dishes. Although I highly recommend this brand, other chicken powder, chicken stock powder, or crumbled chicken bouillon cubes would also work.
(NOTE 6) Roasted sesame oil has a strong aroma with a roasted nutty flavour and smell. Sesame oil is available in the international or cooking oil section of supermarkets, or purchased in Asian grocers.
I've used a third-party application to calculate the calories and nutritional information, so please use this as an approximate guide only.
Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements. For specific details and conversions, visit our Australian Cooking Measurements page.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 ServingCalories: 383kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 3gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 0.5mgSodium: 1365mgPotassium: 146mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 275IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 43mgIron: 1mg