Ginger Mud Crabs Recipes

Steps:

• Drain crab clusters (the less water in the mixture the better). In a large wok or pot add oil, cilantro, green onion, ginger, garlic and peppers. Heat oil and ingredients until hot, stirring occasionally. Do not burn oil.
• Add oyster sauce to taste. Add gradually and mix well before adding more - the mixture should taste slightly sweet, not salty. Remove from heat and add crab, stirring to ensure crab is well seasoned.
• Let sit with no heat for ten minutes or longer to allow crab to soak. The crab tends to be more flavorful if allowed to soak longer before serving. Do not soak overnight.

Steps:

• Freeze mud crab for 30 minutes and then blanch in boiling hot water and then submerge into ice water to refresh.
• Clean and chop the crab in quarters, remove lungs and crack the claws by hitting them across the middle with a knife.
• Add some off cuts of ginger and spring onion to the water in a pot on which you can sit a bamboo steamer, add the crabs to the steamer and steam for about 6 to 8 minutes or alternatively I would use my electric steamer or if you have a pot with holes in the base site that on a another pot with water.
• Heat the peanut oil in the wok until smoking.
• Add onion and cook till almost transluscent and then add garlic and cook for a few minutes.
• Add the julienned ginger and chillies if using, 1 inch lengths of spring onion white part and the capsicum and sugar and fry a few minutes until fragrant.
• Add crabs and toss, then add shoaxing wine, oyster sauce, sesame oil and stock and vinegar and cook for a few minutes (I just had this all mixed in a jug to pour in).
• Sprinkle with sliced spring onion greens and coriander leaves on serving (as we don't care for coriander I omitted).
• Serve with steamed rice.