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Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Soft Shell Crabs in Butter Cereals

This the 3rd dish for my husband's birthday dinner. The 4th was a dessert (please see the next post) .

My husband and I love a particular dish from Bi Feng Tang 避风塘 (literally translated as "Storm Shelter" in Chinese), Soft Shell Crab Bi Feng Tang Special. So on his birthday, I cooked this for him. An extra big plate some more. What you see here was only 1/5 of the whole dish. Yeah, I cooked that much. That's how much we, including my son, enjoyed that dish. *wink*

By the way, you can use the same method to cook with prawns or squid. I had also tried replacing cereals with oats too. Tasty too.

Ingredients:
  • 500g Soft Shell Crabs, half
  • Oil for frying
Marinade:
  • 1 tablespoon Chinese Cooking Wine
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 tablespoon Corn Flour
  • a dash of Pepper
Flour Coating (not batter, DO NOT ADD WATER) :
  • 3 part Corn Flour
  • 1 part Rice Flour
Seasoning:
  • 3 tablespoon Butter
  • 6 tablespoon Cereals (I used Nestle's Nestum Cereals)
  • 1/2 tablespoon Garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tablespoon Shallot, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon Sugar
  • 3 sprig Curry Leaves, leaves removed from stalk
  • 4 Chili Padi, sliced
  • Salt to taste
How to do it:
  1. Marinade soft shell crabs for half an hour.
  2. Heat oil in pot.
  3. Drip dry crabs and coat with flour.
  4. Fry till crabs turn red.
  5. Remove and drain.
  6. Return to oil pot for frying again when you are ready to make the butter cereals. This helps to make them extra crunchy.
  7. Remove and drain.
  8. Put butter in wok.
  9. Add garlic, shallot and curry leaves.
  10. Stir fry till fragrant.
  11. Add the remaining ingredients.
  12. Stir fry quickly till the cereals turn slightly brown.
  13. Add in the crabs and coat well.
  14. Dish and serve.
Note:
  • If you are using squid or prawns, do not re-fry them as they would turn too hard.
  • If the seasoning is too dry, add more butter, otherwise it will not coat well.

  • Click HERE for printer-friendly version of an original recipe


* Alternative dishes using same cooking method *

14 comments:

  1. Wow.. I like soft shell crabs. Which supermarket do you get them from? I don't see them often.

    The oats you used are Quakers oatsmeal? Can I use the quakers instant oatmeal. This looks yummy, just like the cereal prawns at zi cha stall.

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  2. Didally,
    I got it from Shop & Save and I saw it in Cold Storage too. They are frozen in 500g pack.

    Yes, I use Quakers Instant Oatmeals.

    Thanks. Do try it. We love it. :)

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  3. yummy!! it is so good to be your family as they will always be albe to enjoy good food!! :)

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  4. hee me love soft shell crabs too! can I skip the rice flour? I may try this out (but seems a bit difficult) :) Now u tempt me to buy curry leaf plant lol =x

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  5. Great dinner dish, I bet the leftovers are tasty.

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  6. *drooling* my favourite :)

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  7. Blur Angel,
    haha ... thanks! but my hubby had to suffer alot before I can finish present edible food. :p

    Wiffy,
    Can. The rice flour helps make it crispy. It's quite easy. You just have to get everything ready and put before you. I always get free curry leaves so that will be one plant I wont get. hehehe ..

    Kelly,
    There were no leftovers. haha ... The plate was wiped clean. ;)

    Rachel,
    Try this! So much cheaper to cook at home!

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  8. Wow I love this. Can get at shop & save?

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  9. everytime come into your blog, I will leave with a a weird feeling for my stomach..guess, I am hungry again..=P

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  10. Joanne,
    Yes. It's in the stand alone fridge opposite the Yong Tau Fu.

    Somebodyhastobe,
    Haha ... quick check your fridge for food!

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  11. Hi Elaine,

    Sorry I have quite a number of questions to ask you on this soft shell crabs in butter cereals. I would like to try out the prawn cereals.

    Here are the questions:
    1) Are you using Nestle's Nestum Cereals or quakers instant oatmeal?
    2) When you said instant do you mean the 3 in 1 sachet type?
    3) What do you mean by:
    "Return to oil pot for frying again when you are ready to make the butter cereals. This helps to make them extra crunchy."
    Do you mean deep frying the cereals?
    4) What do you mean by 3 part corn flour & 1 part rice flour?

    Thank you in advise for your help & advise.

    Mixue

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  12. Hi Elaine,

    Take your time since you had just recover from your cold. Hopefully you're fully recover now. Do take care.

    Mixue

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  13. Mixue,
    Thanks! I'm better now.

    Here's my answer to your questions:
    1) Both also can but the recipe refers to Nestum cereals
    2) Instant mean dont have to cook type. Those that just water type. I buy the tin ones.
    3) Fry them again using the same oil you fry the first time.
    4) [Part] is the measurement/utensil you use. If you use tablespoon, the 3 [tablespoon] corn flour and 1 [tablespoon] rice flour. It depends on how much you are cooking.

    Hope this clarifies. :)

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  14. Elaine,

    Glad to hear that you are much better now. Thank you for your explaination.

    Mixue

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