Cut the Crab

薑葱炒蟹
Sauté Meat Crab 
with Ginger and Shallots

This is a distinctive recipe of stir fry crab invented by my dad when he was in his teenage year. 
I was told that my grandpa had once brought home a few pieces of crabs and asked my dad to handle them before set off for a nap. Without any clue or whatsoever, my dad ended up stir-fried the crab with loads of gingers and shallots plus a secret touch of eggs, which exceptionally well blended in with the crab roe. This dish remains to be one of our top favorites amongst family gathering and dinner with guests.

serves 6 - 8
2 large meat crabs 肉蟹 or 
4 young crabs 掩仔蟹, “live”
lots of spring onions, cut in 1&1/2cm long
1 large piece of good ginger, cut in think slices, flattened then chop in 1&1/2 cm cubes
3 beaten eggs, seasoned with salt
Vegetable or Canola Oil
sea salt to season

• Detach the claws from the crabs before wash. Remove the top shell and cut away any sharp edges, set aside. Discard the grit sac, the gills on both sides of the body and the bony tail flap from the underside of the crabs. Chop the crabs in truck pieces leaving the legs attached to the body parts, about 8 parts for a large sized crab or 6 parts for a young crab. Hammer the claws till the shells are cracked.
• Heat up a big wok in big fire with a generous amount of oil. Stir in gingers and spring onions  for about ½ a minute till the aroma drawn out but not browned. Pour in the crabs and keep stirring until the shells turn colored. Then covered till the crabs are well cooked, about 3-4 minutes, splash water around the edge of the wok cover if needed.
• Once the crabs are cooked, gradually pour in the beaten eggs while stirring the crabs to allow the eggs well blend in especially with the crab roe and gingers.

Dad can cook AND write!