Sake-Steamed Dungeness Crabs -日本米酒蒸螃蟹

I recalled the first time I saw how dungeness crabs were prepared in the Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, I was left quite puzzled or surprised when I saw them being boiled. The first thought that came to mind was "won't all the seafood flavors and essence be gone in the boiling process"?


Though I am not professionally trained as a chef, I have watched enough Chinese cooking shows to know that many delectable seafood dishes are prepared by simply steaming fresh seafood - Pickled Chili Steamed Whole Fish, Steamed Garlic Prawns/Shrimps, Steamed Ginger Green Onions Prawns/Shrimps.

Dungeness crab season in California typically starts from November and runs almost six-eight months till about June. When I got hold of fresh live crabs recently, it fell back to my natural instincts to STEAM them!

It may lack creativity or may even sound boring to some of you, but I simply enjoy fresh flavors of seafood, this way.


Sake-Steamed Dungeness Crabs 日本米酒蒸螃蟹
Ingredients:
2 fresh dungeness crabs, cleaned and chopped into four sections (I usually request the cleaning service at the seafood station where I buy the live crabs. They will also chop the crabs into four pieces for me upon request)
2-3 green onions, roughly chopped
5-6 thin slices of ginger, sliced to matchsticks
2 tbsp sake

Directions: Prepare a wok for steaming. Lay the crabs onto a plate and uniformly sprinkle green onions and ginger over. Also splash sake uniformly over the crabs. When wok is ready for steaming, place the plate of crabs into the steamed and steamed for about 15 mins.

As with any freshly steamed seafood, the key is to eat them while it's steaming hot. Enjoy!

Tag: dungeness crabs, steamed crabs

An Escape to Food on Facebook