Soft Shell Chili Crabs With Mango Noodle Salad Recipes

CRAB CHA GIO WITH SPICY MANGO DIPPING SAUCE AND CRAB NOODLE SALAD (THE EASIER DISH)

Steps:

• In a large, chilled bowl, mix together the crab, noodles, scallions, chiles, cilantro, fish sauce, lime juice and basil. Check for seasoning. At this point, you have the Crab Salad finished. You can drizzle a little of the mango sauce to complete the plating. Now to finish the cha gio. Take the same mixture and roll it in rehydrated rice paper. Let rest, seam side down for 2 minutes. Fry at 375 degrees until golden brown.
• PLATING Slice the cha gio on the bias and plate on a very small mound of the filling. Serve the sauce in a soy sauce dish. Use the red leaf lettuce to pick up the hot cha gio with your fingers. Garnish with the fresh mint.
• In a blender, add the mangoes, shallots, vinegar, sambal and juice. Blend at high speed and add the oil. Season and check for seasoning.
• BEVERAGE Tropical Sauvignon Blanc (NZ)

SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH LIME SAUCE

Steps:

• Season the flour with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Coat the crabs with flour and shake off excess. Heat butter and oil in a large skillet. When hot, add the crabs, shell side down first and saute for about 3 to 4 minutes a side (stand back a bit from skillet as crab will pop and splatter as you saute them.)
• Remove the crabs and keep them warm. Add lime zest, juice and water to the pan. Deglaze the pan by scraping up all the browned particles with a wooden spoon and incorporating them into the lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Boil the juices down until syrupy. Set crabs on warmed dinner plates and pour pan juices over them. For fancier occasions, garnish the plate with lemon rounds and sprinkle toasted almonds over the crabs.

MANGO NOODLE SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, toss together the noodles, spinach, chiles and mango and set aside.
• Whisk together the vinegar, chili sauce, fish sauce, lime juice and peanut oil. Taste and adjust flavors if desired. Dress the salad just before serving.

CHILI CRAB

Steps:

• In a casserole or large pot of boiling salted water, add the crabs and cook them for about 1 minute, or until no longer moving. Drain and set aside until cool enough to handle.
• To clean the crabs pull off top shells; pull and twist off each apron; remove gills. With sharp knife cut crabs into quarters, rinse and drain.
• In mortor and pestle or small food processor pound or process chiles, garlic, shallots and ginger with a little oil if necessary.
• Combine all sauce ingredients.
• Heat a wok over moderately high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil and heat until hot. Add chili and garlic paste and stir-fry 1 minute. Add crabs and stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes or until shells turn red. Add sauce ingredients, bring to boil and simmer, covered, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer crabs to serving dish.
• Bring sauce in wok to a boil. Stir cornstarch mixture and add to wok. Simmer until thickened. Gradually add eggs in a stream, whisking, and cook for 1 minute. Pour sauce over crabs and garnish with scallion.

SOFT-SHELL CRABS WITH PINEAPPLE-MANGO SALSA

Steps:

• Wash crabs and drain.
• Beat egg whites until slightly foamy; dip crabs in egg whites, then in flour. Place on piece of wax paper.
• Dice pineapple and mango and place in serving bowl. Chop onion fine; mince jalapeno and add to bowl.
• If using a stove-top grill, prepare and heat. Grill crabs about 3 minutes on each side over medium-high heat.
• Squeeze lime juice into the pineapple-mango mixture.
• Wash, dry and chop cilantro and add to bowl; season with pepper. Serve crabs with salsa on the side.