Salt and Pepper Red Crab: Cua Rang Muoi Recipe

Salt and Pepper Red Crab: Cua Rang Muoi

Recipe provided by Luke Nguyen

Watch the video demonstration of this recipe.

• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Servings: 4
• Time Required: Total 1 hour 33 minutes (Prep: 30 minutes, Rest: 1 hour, Cook: 3 minutes)
• Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories 260, Total Fat 6 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Carbohydrates 12 g, Dietary Fiber 2 g, Sugar 6 g, Protein 38 g, Cholesterol 155 mg, Sodium 658 mg

Ingredients

Salt and Pepper Seasoning Blend:

• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon fine white pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon five spice powder

For the Crab:

• 2 live crabs (14 ounces/400 g each), blue swimmer or mud crab
• Vegetable oil for deep frying
• Potato starch for dusting
• 3 red Asian shallots, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 spring onions (scallions), cut into 2-inch (5 cm) sections
• 2 long red chilies, thinly sliced on the diagonal
• Jasmine rice for serving

Special Equipment

• Cleaver

Instructions

1. Combine the salt, white pepper, sugar, and five spice powder in a bowl to make the seasoning blend.
2. To treat the crabs humanely, place them in the freezer for 1 hour to sedate them or submerge in an ice bath for 5 minutes.
3. Remove the top shell of the crab and discard the gills (which look like small fingers). Rinse the crab under cold running water and drain well.
4. Place the crab belly-side down and use a heavy cleaver to cut it in half lengthwise.
5. Cut each half into 4 pieces by slicing between each leg.
6. Gently crack each claw using the back of the cleaver to make extracting the meat easier.
7. Heat vegetable oil in a wok to about 400F (200C), or until a bread cube turns golden brown in 5 seconds when dropped into the oil.
8. Lightly coat the crab pieces with potato starch, shaking off any excess. Deep-fry the crab in batches for 3 minutes, turning once, until crispy and golden.
9. Remove the crab from the oil and drain on paper towels. Pour out the oil, reserving 2 tablespoons, and clean the wok.
10. Heat the reserved oil in the wok, then add shallots and garlic. Fry until aromatic.
11. Add the fried crab pieces back to the wok, toss thoroughly, and season with the prepared salt and pepper mix to taste.
12. Serve hot with jasmine rice and a finger bowl for cleaning hands.