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Chinese Stir Fry Crabs with Ginger and Scallions
Ginger and Scotch

Stir-Fried Crabs with Ginger and Scallions

5 from 2 votes
A popular Chinese stir-fry recipe that is actually quite simple to make at home in less than 30 minutes. Always get the freshest crabs available and prepare them as soon as possible.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Course: Seafood
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 large blue crabs
Aromatics
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 garlic cloves , minced
  • Thumb-sized piece of ginger (minced or julienned)
  • 2 bunches of scallions , cut into 2" slices BUT reserve whites and greens separately
  • ½ teaspoon of salt
Steaming Liquid
  • ¼ cup water
  • 2 tablespoons alcohol: Shaoshing wine/vodka/whisky/cognac (optional)
Thickening Mixture / (the Ginger and Scotch Magic Ratio)
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/2 cup cold water
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Other
  • Juice from ½ lemon or 2 teaspoons vinegar (distilled, cider, red wine, etc)

Method
 

  1. If you will be serving your crabs with rice or noodles, prepare them as per the packaging instructions. Do this step before you start prepping the crabs.
  2. Prepare crabs by cleaning them with a scrub brush under running water. Remove the upper shell. Remove gills. Cut the body in half if desired. We like to smash the claws with the back of a knife or you can use a crab cracker at the end of cooking.
  3. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a wok or large saute pan that has a lid and can fit the crabs. Add ginger, garlic and scallion WHITES and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
  4. Add alcohol (optional) and water, then add the crabs (not the upper shells just yet) and stir around the sauce. Now place the crab shells on top.
  5. Cover, lower heat to simmer and steam 10-15 min depending on size of the crab. Note: if the liquid in the pan has evaporated, add another ¼ cup of water and make sure it is simmering.
  6. Remove crabs to a separate dish to make it easier to thicken the sauce. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add thickening mixture (soy sauce, sugar, water, corn starch) to the wok/pan and stir until sauce has thickened.
  7. Add scallions GREENS and lemon juice. Slide the crabs back into the pan and mix gently.
  8. Serve with rice or noodles.

Notes

-We actually used 2 different preparations of ginger (minced AND large thin slices) because my mom likes to eat the ginger at the end of cooking with the crab and I don't so the larger slices I can easily pick out of my dish
-Remember that corn starch is only an effective thickener at boiling temperatures.