River crabs, also known as freshwater crabs or hairy crabs, mainly live in the muddy banks of rivers, lakes, and marshes. They are mostly active at night and are a common food in daily life with rich nutritional value. It is important to know how to cook river crabs deliciously while preserving their nutrients.
How to Cook River Crabs Deliciously: Spicy River Crabs
Ingredients Needed
4 river crabs, 10 dried chili peppers, 50g ginger, 50g garlic, 5g Sichuan pepper, 1 tablespoon seafood sauce, 1 tablespoon garlic chili paste, 10g chicken bouillon, 150ml Shaoxing wine, 4 tablespoons soy sauce, 100ml Erguotou liquor.
Cooking Steps
1. Place fresh river crabs in a container, add Erguotou liquor, cover the pot, and marinate for 20-50 minutes.
2. Once the river crabs are no longer aggressive, clean them with a brush, then cut them in half with a kitchen knife.
3. Coat the cut surfaces of the crabs with cornstarch and set aside.
4. Heat an appropriate amount of oil in a pan until it reaches 50% heat, then place the crabs cut-side down in the oil.
5. Fry on low heat for 3 minutes, flipping once halfway through, then remove when cooked.
6. In a cool pan with cool oil, add Sichuan pepper and fry over low heat for 2 minutes, then add scallions, ginger, garlic, and red pepper, and continue frying over low heat for 3 minutes.
7. Add 1 tablespoon of garlic chili paste, 1 tablespoon of seafood sauce, 150ml Shaoxing wine, 10g chicken bouillon, and 4 tablespoons soy sauce to the pan.
8. After adding the seasonings, add the fried river crabs, stir-fry evenly until coated with the sauce, then plate. If the sauce dries up, you can add a little water.
Tips
In this spicy river crab recipe, choosing and preparing the crabs properly is crucial for a delicious dish.
1. Size: Smaller river crabs are better, first because they are cheaper, and second because they are easier to fry thoroughly.
2. Liquor: While the river crabs are still alive, do not wash them; instead, place them in a container and pour liquor over them to intoxicate them. This makes cleaning easier and ensures the crabs have a strong liquor flavor.
3. Cornstarch: After cutting the crabs, coat them with cornstarch before frying.
A Simple Way to Cook River Crabs: Steamed River Crabs
Ingredients Needed
River crabs, garlic.
Cooking Steps
1. Prepare two fresh river crabs.
2. Remove the claws from the crabs and crack the shells using a tool.
3. Clean the crabs with a toothbrush, then open the crab shells.
4. Cut the body in half, chop the garlic into minced garlic, and sprinkle the minced garlic over the crabs.
5. Steam on high heat for 15 minutes.
Recommended Recipe: Spicy Crab and Mama Rice Noodles
Ingredients Needed
1 river crab, 100g Mama rice noodles, an appropriate amount of garlic, 1 teaspoon cooking oil, 1 teaspoon fish sauce, an appropriate amount of hotpot base.
Cooking Steps
1. Soak the rice noodles in warm water, rinse them clean, boil them in cold water, then drain and set aside.
2. Split the boiled crab, remove the dirt, and discard the inedible parts.
3. Heat cooking oil in a clay pot over low heat, add garlic and fry until fragrant, then add the hotpot base.
4. Add an appropriate amount of cold water, bring to a boil, then add the Mama rice noodles and simmer.
5. Add the crab, stir the rice noodles gently to ensure the crabs are fully cooked.
6. Finally, drizzle fish sauce over the top for seasoning.
Tips
1. In this crab recipe, it is essential to clean out the dirt inside the crab after boiling.
2. Pre-cooking the rice noodles saves time during the stewing process and prevents the broth from becoming cloudy due to prolonged cooking.
3. No additional salt is needed since the hotpot base already contains enough seasoning.