Main ingredients 🥩
soft-shell crabgingergarlicpepperoncinochili crab sauceketchupegg
Ttukdak Hyung's Soft-Shell Chili Crab
A delicacy of crispy fried soft-shell crab topped with a smooth sauce made by stirring in aromatics, store-bought sauce, and egg wash.
🙋 Recommended for
- ⭐ Those who miss the soft, sweet and tangy flavor of chili crab from Southeast Asian resort destinations.
- ⭐ Those who want to cleverly use a store-bought starch sauce to serve a impressive Asian fusion dish to guests without fail.
- ⭐ Those who want to enjoy the perfect balance of crispy, savory soft-shell crab and the smooth, fluffy egg chili sauce.
Ingredients needed 🛒2 servings
- crispy fried soft-shell crab, as needed
- cooking oil, a little
- minced ginger, a little
- minced garlic, a little
- pepperoncino, a little
- water, as needed
- store-bought chili crab sauce, 1 pack
- ketchup, a little
- starch slurry, a little
- 1 egg
- parsley powder, a little
Recipe 🍳
- Heat oil in a pan and add minced ginger, minced garlic, and crushed pepperoncino. Stir-fry over medium heat until the fragrance gently rises.
- Once the spicy aroma of the vegetables has infused the oil, add water, store-bought chili crab sauce, and a small amount of ketchup. Stir well to dissolve any lumps and bring to a bubbling boil.
- To adjust the thickness, pour the starch slurry (starch powder mixed with water) around the sauce and stir until it reaches a glossy, Chinese-style consistency.
- When the sauce has thickened, gently pour in the beaten egg in a circular motion and lightly stir to create a soft, fluffy chili sauce texture.
- On a large plate, arrange the pre-fried crispy soft-shell crabs. Generously pour the hot egg chili sauce over them and sprinkle with parsley.
- Heat oil in a pan and stir-fry ginger, garlic, and spicy pepperoncino to infuse the oil with flavor.
- Mix water, store-bought chili sauce, and ketchup, bring to a boil, then adjust the sauce thickness with starch slurry.
- Mix in the beaten egg to finish a smooth base sauce, then pour over the fried soft-shell crabs.
Cooking tips 💡
- Rather than simply heating the store-bought sauce, first stir-fry garlic, ginger, and spicy peppers in oil to build a base—this maximizes the authentic Southeast Asian flavor.
- If you add all the starch slurry at once, the sauce can become clumpy like paste. Add it little by little while checking the thickness to ensure success.
- To maintain a soft egg sauce texture, after adding the beaten egg, do not stir vigorously with a spatula. Gently stir in a circular motion until the egg is slightly cooked and fluffy.