Stir-fried Crab with Ginger and Shallot (Cua Xao Hanh Gung) is a popular dish in seafood restaurants in Vietnam. The dish is much loved for its aromatic and tasty profile. You can easily prepare this restaurant-quality dish at home and impress everyone.
Stir-fried crab with onion and ginger involves frying crabs (still in the shell) with a mix of ginger, shallots and seasonings. The combination of ginger and scallions provides a fresh, tangy flavor that complements the sweetness of the crab. This combination goes very well with seafood, as you can also see in these recipes of steamed fish and steamed squid with ginger and shallots.
If you love crab meat and don’t mind getting your hands dirty while eating, this dish will be a delight. You may encounter it in seafood restaurants and upscale Cantonese restaurants in Vietnam.
ingredients
This recipe may seem fancy, but it means a lot short list of ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
In case you don’t have it light soy sauce, Japanese soy sauce like Kikkoman is also good. As for Shaoxing winesake is an acceptable substitute.
Types of crabs to use
Fresh whole crab is the best choice for this recipe. Live crabs cooked immediately after preparation will give you the best flavor and texture. You can use various types of crabs depending on availability, and here are some options:
- Mud Crabs: Popular in Southeast Asian cuisine, mud crabs have a strong flavor and a good amount of meat. This is the type of crab we often use in our Vietnamese recipes, such as stir-fried glass noodles and crab meat.
- Dungeness Crabs: Dungeness crabs are known for their sweet, tender meat and large claws. They also work well in this stir-fried crab recipe thanks to their meaty claws and bodies.
- Blue crabs: These are called “crab” in Vietnamese, and the flavor is often milder than mud crab and Dungeness crab. You can use them in this recipe; however, I find the taste less delicious than using mud crabs.
In case the idea of cooking live crabs seems too intimidating for you, you can try this recipe lobster Instead.
Preparation
The most complicated part of this recipe is the preparation phase, which involves handling live crabs. You will need sharp kitchen shears or knives, a small brush or toothbrush and a mallet.
1️⃣ Humanely immobilize crabs: Before starting cleaning, it is recommended to immobilize the crabs in a humane manner. This can be done by placing them in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes to make them dormant and easier to handle.
2️⃣ Clean the crabs: Rinse the crab under cold running water to remove any dirt or debris from the shell. You can use a brush to clean the shell more thoroughly.
Then turn the crab over, lift it up and take it out I draw/openN. Also, take the carapace and move it away from the body. By removing the carapace, remove and discard the gills and the mouthparts. You can give the crab another rinse.
3️⃣ Cut the crabs: Use sharp kitchen shears to cut the body into halves or quarters, depending on the size of the crabs. Then use a mallet to break the claws and paws. This will help the flavors penetrate the meat better and make it easier to eat. If you can eat the yellow, sticky “crab butter” inside, scrape it into a bowl and set aside.
Cooking steps
While the cleanup and prep steps can be a little messy and complicated, the cooking steps are pretty quick and simple. One thing to keep in mind is that crab cooks quickly and can become dry and flavorless if overcooked. Once the meat is turned opaqueIt’s done.
1️⃣ First, dip the meat part of the crab halves or quarters in cornstarch. Heat a generous amount of oil in a wok or pan and briefly fry the crab pieces for a few minutes until lightly browned.
2️⃣ Heat the wok or large pan over medium heat. I use a large stainless steel Fully coated sautéed pan Here. Then sauté the ginger slices and the white parts of the shallots until fragrant.
3️⃣ Add the crab pieces to the pan. Stir and cook for a couple of minutes, then you can add the Shaoxing wine, seasonings and “crab butter”. Stir and continue to cook until the crab is cooked and the flavors have blended.
Finally, add the green parts of the shallot. The crab fry is now ready!
How to serve
I recommend being strong crab crackers when you eat The crab is a gung to open the shells. Be prepared to get your hands dirty and your fingers may have a lingering odor even after washing them with soap. We usually rub our fingers together lime or lemon wedges to help eliminate odor.
You can serve this crab stir-fry with ginger and scallions as is. Sometimes we have some slices of bread separately to absorb the sauces. It may take you a while to eat this dish, but I hope you will try it. We love eating it on Friday nights or for special occasions, like New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Related recipes
Other crabmeat recipes you might try:
⭐️ I’d love to know what you think of the dish, so feel free to leave a comment and rating if you’ve tried it. New recipes are added every week, so let’s connect Facebook, Youtube, Pinterest AND Instagram for the latest updates. You can find my collection of Vietnamese recipes here.
Stir-fried crab with ginger and shallots
Stir-fried Crab with Ginger and Shallot (Cua Xao Hanh Gung) is a popular dish in seafood restaurants in Vietnam. The dish is much loved for its aromatic and tasty profile. You can easily prepare this restaurant-quality dish at home and impress everyone.
Prevents the screen from going dark
Instructions
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Place the crabs in the freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes to make them dormant and easier to handle. Then rinse them under cold running water to remove any traces of dirt. You can use a brush to clean the shell more thoroughly.
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Turn the crab over, lift and remove the flap/apron. Also, take the carapace and move it away from the body. Without carapace, remove and discard gills and mouthparts. Rinse the crab again.
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Use sharp kitchen shears to cut the body into halves or quarters, depending on the size of the crabs. Then use a hammer to break the claws and paws. If you like yellow, sticky “crab butter” inside, scrape it into a bowl and set aside.
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Cut the shallots into 2-inch long pieces (about 5 cm) and keep the white and green parts separate. Thinly slice the ginger.
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Place a pan over medium heat and heat a generous amount of cooking oil. Dip the meat portion of the crab quarters in the cornstarch. Shake off excess starch and fry the crab pieces for about 3 minutes or until the cornstarch-coated side is lightly browned. Transfer to a plate.
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Place a large skillet over medium heat and add just enough cooking oil to lightly coat the bottom. Add the ginger slice, stir and cook briefly until fragrant. Then add the white parts of the shallots, mix and cook briefly until fragrant.
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Add the crab pieces to the pan. Stir and cook for a couple of minutes, then pour the Shaoxing wine over the crabs. Stir quickly, then continue adding the light soy sauce, oyster sauce, water and “crab butter”.
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Mix well and let the sauce come to the boil. Cook an additional 4 to 5 minutes or until crab pieces are fully cooked, stirring a few times. Adjust heat as needed. Avoid overcooking as the crab meat may become dry and tasteless. Also adjust the amount of liquid and seasonings to your taste.
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Add the green parts of the shallots. Mix everything well again, then transfer to serving plates. Serve immediately.
Notes
I recommend being strong crab crackers when eating this dish to open the shells. After eating, your fingers may still have a lingering odor even after you wash them with soap. We often rub our fingers with lime or lemon wedges to get rid of the smell faster.
The recipe can serve 2-3 people. You can serve it as it is. Sometimes we put several slices of bread aside to absorb the sauces.
Nutrition
Calories: 344kcal | Carbohydrates: 13G | Protein: 59G | Fat: 3G | Saturated fats: 0.5G | Polyunsaturated fats: 1G | Monounsaturated fat: 1G | Cholesterol: 196mg | Sodium: 1569mg | Potassium: 1301mg | Fiber: 1G | Sugar: 1G | Vitamin A: 459UI | C vitamin: 15mg | Soccer: 173mg | Iron: 2mg
