Asian Black Pepper Crab
photo by JustJanS
- Ready In:
- 50mins
- Ingredients:
- 11
- Serves:
-
4
ingredients
- 2 -4 blue crabs, live and clacking
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger, fresh, peeled and finely chopped
- 4 Thai chiles (or green serrano)
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons black pepper, coarsely ground
- 1⁄2 cup cilantro leaf, fresh, chopped
directions
- Steam crabs until bright red - ideally using a crab pot with a rack. Remove from heat and cool.
- Turn each crab on its back; lift and remove apron. turn over & pull off back. Remove and discard the devil's fingers (gills) and the creamy, green or yellow tomalley in the center. Crack body in half. Remove & crack claws gently with a nutcracker.
- Heat oil in a wok or a large skillet over high heat. Sauté crab pieces 2 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Turn down heat to medium; add garlic, ginger, and chiles. Cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, thin soy sauce, and sugar. Reduce heat to low and simmer 30 seconds.
- Add pepper and return crab to wok; stir until coated with sauce. Serve garnished with cilantro.
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Reviews
-
Buster's Friend, we both think we died and went to heaven-these crabs were that good. You'll be pleased to know we caught our own crabs for this this afternoon (so VERY fresh and clacky) and while they aren't the same blue swimmers as your blue swimmers, they are still a lovely, sweetly delicious crab (Google Blue Manna Crab Images to see the difference). Ours were a good size for the type (around 1 lb each) and I used 4 for the two of us. I halved the Thai chillies as our son grows them and they are HOT, otherwise I followed your recipe exactly. Thanks for posting a fantastic recipe we will make again! Would give this more stars if I could!
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Busters friend
Pleasure Island, 73
<p>First about Buster: Buster moved onto whatever comes next on February 26, 2008. He was just shy of five years old. I miss him terribly. <br />He came into our lives when he ran out in front of my car late one night as I was driving home. A just under 4 pound ball of kitten fluff, complete with an ostrich boa tail that stayed straight up as he assessed his new domain. He became a 19 pound longhaired beast who guarded our house (he followed any new guests or servicepeople the entire time they are on the property) & even killed copperheads (among other things with his hunting buddy, Fergus the short-tailed)! Friends never saw his formidible side as he smiled at them & uttered the most incongruent kitten-like mews as he threaded legs! He liked to ride in the car & came to the beach. <br />There are Buster-approved recipes in my offerings - however, HE decided which he wanted to consider - Buster demonstrated he liked pumpkin anything - ALOT -LOL!!! <br /> <br />Copperhead count 2006 - Buster 2 <br /> (10 inchers w/yellow tails) <br /> 2007 - Buster & Roxie 1 <br /> (a 24 incher!) <br />Buster woken from beauty sleep - <br />http://www.recipezaar.com/members/home/62264/DSCN0335.JPG <br />Big whiskers - <br />http://www.recipezaar.com/members/home/62264/DSCN0333.JPG <br /> <br />For those of you who gave kind condolences - thank you so very much. <br />http://www.recipezaar.com/bb/viewtopic.zsp?t=250301 <br /> <br /> <br />I love to cook & incorporate techniques from Southern/Mid Atlantic roots (grits, eastern NC BBQ shoulders, Brunswick stew, steamed crabs & shrimp & shellfish, hushpuppies, cornbread, greens, shad roe, scrapple) with Pacific Rim foods & techniques aquired while living in Pacific Northwest, fish & game recipes learned while living in Rocky Mountain region & foods/techniques learned travelling to the Big Island & up into BC & Alberta & into the Caribbean. The Middle Eastern/African likes I have are remnants of my parents who lived for many years in North Africa & Mediterranean before I was thought of. Makes for wide open cooking! <br /> <br />Since moving back east we try to go annually in the deep winter to Montreal (Old Montreal auberges & La Reine) & Quebec City (Winter Carnival & Chateau Frontenac)- for unctuous foie gras & real cheeses, French & Canadian meals prepared & served exquisitely, fantastic music & wonderful people - with the cold helping burn off some of the calories! <br /> <br />I love putting in our aluminum jonboat & heading across the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) to the barrier islands for foraging & exploring! Bodysurfing is a lifelong sport for me - one that a person's body never seems to forget how to do, once the knack is learned (thank goodness!) <br /> <br />I especially miss cool summers & foggy/drizzly days & fall mushroom foraging/anytime of year hot springing in WA, OR, MT, ID, BC & Alberta.</p>