Cracked Crab In Ginger Wine Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• To clean the crab, pull of the top shell. Remove and discard the feathery off-white lungs and spongy parts under the shell. Break off the leg and claws and crack them with a mallet.
• If using Dungeness crab, cut the body into 4 pieces; if using blue crabs, cut the bodies in half.
• Dust the crab pieces with flour to coat lightly.
• Prepare the sauce: Stir the chicken stock, rice wine, green onions, basil, black vinegar, and soy sauce together in a bowl.
• Heat wok over high heat until hot. Add the oil and swirl to coat the sides. Add the coated crab pieces and stir fry for 1 minute. Add ginger and stir fry for 2 minutes.
• Pour in the sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the wok, and cook stirring once, until the crab is heated through, approximately 4 minutes.
• Stir in the dissolved cornstarch and cook, stirring until the sauce boils and thickens, about 2-3 minutes.

Steps:

• Bring 1 1/2 inches water to a boil in pot. Add cilantro stems, then carefully add half of crabs using tongs and return to a boil. Cook, covered with lid, 8 minutes (for 1/4-pound crabs) to 10 minutes (for 1/3-pound crabs) from time they enter water. (Break shell of 1 claw to check for doneness; crabmeat should be opaque.) Transfer crabs with long-handled tongs to a large platter, reserving cooking liquid in pot, and keep warm, loosely covered with foil. Cook remaining crabs in same manner.
• While crabs cook, stir together ginger (to taste), soy sauce, sugar, water, vinegar, and salt in a small bowl until sugar and salt are dissolved.
• If necessary, dip crabs in cooking liquid to remove any external residue, then transfer to another large platter. Serve crabs hot, with dipping sauce.
• *We recommend Gold Plum brand, available at Asian markets and Kam Man Food Products (212-571-0330).