Description
A massive Re Chao staple rapid-frying cracked crab claws (Xie Jiao) with Taiwan's BBQ sauce 'Shacha', massive garlic, chili, and Taiwanese basil. Calls for beer.
Restaurants serving Stir-fried Crab Claws with Basil
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We are researching restaurants that serve this dish.
On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Crab claws
- Shacha sauce
- Jiucengta(Taiwanese Basil)
- Garlic
- Rice wine
- Potato starch
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe]
- [Crab Claw Prep] Prepare meaty 'Crab Claws (Xie Jiao)', crack shells with the back of a cleaver (or hammer) to let flavor penetrate and ease eating.
- Heat oil in a wok, sauté minced garlic, ginger, and red chili without burning for aroma.
- Vigorously dump in crab claws, toss on high until shells turn red.
- [Magic Sauce] Add
- tbsp of the absolute key flavor 'Shacha sauce', soy sauce, a little sugar, and pour plenty of rice wine (or beer).
- Cover and steam-bake for a few mins to completely infuse the sauce umami inside the crab shells.
- Uncover, 'thicken' the sauce with potato starch slurry (makes sauce cling to shells).
- Finally, dump in two handfuls of raw 'Jiucengta (Taiwanese basil)'; remove quickly once aroma spreads.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Intense Shacha seafood extract and Taiwanese basil
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
Shrimp or scallops (stir-fried in the same sauce)
Pairing
Cold Taiwan Beer exclusively
Trivia
[For Adults] The overwhelming ace among seafood menus in Taiwanese taverns. Ordering whole crab is expensive, but claws (Xie Jiao) offer crab umami cheaply and easily. Not minding sticky hands, sucking sauce off shells while drinking beer is the proper Taiwanese night.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] Put the cracked shell whole in your mouth, sucking dry the 'rich basil and Shacha sauce' clinging to the surface, then break the shell to eat the sweet crab meat inside!
Allergen
Crab, Soy, Wheat, Shrimp (from Shacha)