椒盐软壳蟹

Salt and Pepper Soft-shell Crabs

These crabs are a delight to eat as you can devour the entire creature—shells and all. They are eaten when they have just shed their old shell and before a new shell hardens.

serves 4

4 soft-shell crabs

1 teaspoon spicy salt and pepper

1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon plain (all-purpose) flour

oil for deep-frying

1 spring onion (scallion), chopped

2 small red chillies, chopped

To kill the crabs humanely, put them in the freezer for 1 hour. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Plunge the crabs into boiling water for about 1 minute, then rinse them in cold water. Marinate in the spicy salt and pepper and rice wine for 10–15 minutes, then coat with the egg and dust with the flour.

Fill a wok one-quarter full of oil. Heat the oil to 190°C (375°F), or until a piece of bread fries golden brown in 10 seconds when dropped in the oil. Cook the crabs for 3–4 minutes, or until golden. Remove and drain, reserving the oil. Cut each crab in half and arrange on a serving plate.

Soak the spring onion and chilli in the hot oil (with the heat turned off) for 2 minutes. Remove with a wire sieve or slotted spoon and sprinkle over the crabs.