Whole Dungeness Wok-Fried Crab with Ginger and Lemongrass

From Tom Douglas’ Seattle Kitchen

Serves 1 to 2

If desired, serve with steamed rice and garnish with julienned green onions and lime wedges. This is a very messy and “finger lickin’ good” dish to eat.  You’ll need crab-crackers, a side bowl for the shells, a stack of napkins, and bowls of warm lemon water to clean your hands. 

• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 2 teaspoons finely minced lemongrass
• 2 teaspoons stemmed, seeded and minced poblano pepper
• 2 teaspoons minced shallots
• 2 teaspoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 5 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
• 5 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons Chinese chili garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon coarsely chopped Chinese fermented black beans
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon of cold water
• 1 Dungeness crab (about 1 1/2pounds), cooked, cleaned and cracked
• 1/4 cup sake

To make the lemongrass sauce, heat 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil in a small saucepan on medium-high heat.  Sauté the lemongrass, poblano, shallots, ginger, and garlic until soft, about 2 minutes.  Add the chicken stock, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, chili garlic paste, and black beans.  Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes.  Add the dissolved cornstarch and simmer, stirring frequently, until the sauce becomes glossy and thickens, about 2 more minutes.  Set aside.

To wok-fry the crab, heat 2 tablespoons of peanut oil in a wok over high heat until almost smoking.  Toss in the crab pieces (including the carapace or top shell), add the sake, and cover.  Allow to steam 2 to 3 minutes. Add the lemongrass sauce and simmer until the crab is heated through and the sauce thickens to desired consistency, about 1 to 2 minutes.

On a large plate or platter, arrange the crab with the carapace (top shell) back on top so it looks roughly like a whole crab again and pour all the sauce over and around it.