D'JAJ M'ZBIB
Poulet a la Juif; Stewed Chicken with Raisins.
One chicken, skinned and cut up into large pieces.
Two large onions.
Half a cup raisins, rinsed.
Half a TBS ground coriander.
Quarter Tsp. each: ground pepper, cinnamon powder, dry ginger.
Generous pinches mace, cayenne, turmeric, salt, and sugar.
Smaller pinches oregano, thyme, rosemary.
Two cups chicken stock.
The juice of one lemon.
Sherry.
Bay leaves.
Olive oil.
Chop the onions, fry golden them in a little olive oil, and remove to a plate.
Fry the chicken pieces till gilded, add the coriander, cayenne, and turmeric. Continue frying while stirring till material starts sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add onions and raisins, stir briefly, and deglaze with a splash sherry. Now add all else, and simmer for half an hour, stirring occasionally.
Originally from here: Completely Chicken
Wednesday, February 10, 2021
CREAMY CURRY CHICKEN -- MURGHI MASALA
MURGHI MASALA
Creamy Curry Chicken
One pound of chicken, chunk-cut on bone.
Two onions, chopped.
One dozen Roma tomatoes, peeled seeded chopped.
One cup cashews.
Half a cup heavy cream.
Quarter cup yoghurt.
Two TBS garam masala.
Half TBS cayenne.
Thumblength ginger.
Five or six cloves garlic.
Pinches of salt and pepper.
One teaspoon cumin seeds, roasted till quite dark, then ground fine.
Mince and smash the garlic and ginger to a paste, mix it with the yoghurt and the pinches of salt and pepper. Marinate the chicken in this for an hour.
Pour boiling water (enough to cover) over the cashews and let them soften. Take the chicken pieces out of the marinade, and colour them well in hot oil. Remove to a plate, add the onions to the pan with a little more oil. Saute till coloured, add the tomatoes and all spices except the dark-roasted cumin seeds, and cook soft, which will be about five minutes.
Dump the cashews and their soaking water into a blender, add the contents of the pan, and osterize smooth. Return this to the pan and reduce till velvety, then put in the chicken pieces. Bring back to a boil, turn heat low, and simmer a few minutes. Stir the cream into the dish, and let it heat, but do not bring it to a boil.
Dust the dark-roasted cumin powder over the top before serving.
Decorate with the merest sprinkle of sliced green chili.
Originally from here: Completely Chicken
Creamy Curry Chicken
One pound of chicken, chunk-cut on bone.
Two onions, chopped.
One dozen Roma tomatoes, peeled seeded chopped.
One cup cashews.
Half a cup heavy cream.
Quarter cup yoghurt.
Two TBS garam masala.
Half TBS cayenne.
Thumblength ginger.
Five or six cloves garlic.
Pinches of salt and pepper.
One teaspoon cumin seeds, roasted till quite dark, then ground fine.
Mince and smash the garlic and ginger to a paste, mix it with the yoghurt and the pinches of salt and pepper. Marinate the chicken in this for an hour.
Pour boiling water (enough to cover) over the cashews and let them soften. Take the chicken pieces out of the marinade, and colour them well in hot oil. Remove to a plate, add the onions to the pan with a little more oil. Saute till coloured, add the tomatoes and all spices except the dark-roasted cumin seeds, and cook soft, which will be about five minutes.
Dump the cashews and their soaking water into a blender, add the contents of the pan, and osterize smooth. Return this to the pan and reduce till velvety, then put in the chicken pieces. Bring back to a boil, turn heat low, and simmer a few minutes. Stir the cream into the dish, and let it heat, but do not bring it to a boil.
Dust the dark-roasted cumin powder over the top before serving.
Decorate with the merest sprinkle of sliced green chili.
Originally from here: Completely Chicken
PAPRIKA CHICKEN
PAPRIKASZ
Paprika Chicken
1 whole chicken (about 3 pounds), cut into 8 pieces.
2 garlic cloves, minced.
2 onions, thinly sliced.
2 - 4 TBS sweet Hungarian paprika.
1/2 cup chicken stock.
4 TBS sour cream.
A very generous pinch of ground caraway seed.
Olive oil, or butter, or bacon grease.
Salt and pepper.
Gild the onions and garlic. Rub the chicken bits with oil, plus salt, pepper, and some of the paprika. Add to the pan and brown slightly. Now add the remaining paprika and the ground caraway, stir to mix, and add the chicken stock and enough water to barely cover. Simmer for about half an hour, then stir in the sour cream.
Garnish with plenty of chopped parsley.
Originally from here: Completely Chicken
Paprika Chicken
1 whole chicken (about 3 pounds), cut into 8 pieces.
2 garlic cloves, minced.
2 onions, thinly sliced.
2 - 4 TBS sweet Hungarian paprika.
1/2 cup chicken stock.
4 TBS sour cream.
A very generous pinch of ground caraway seed.
Olive oil, or butter, or bacon grease.
Salt and pepper.
Gild the onions and garlic. Rub the chicken bits with oil, plus salt, pepper, and some of the paprika. Add to the pan and brown slightly. Now add the remaining paprika and the ground caraway, stir to mix, and add the chicken stock and enough water to barely cover. Simmer for about half an hour, then stir in the sour cream.
Garnish with plenty of chopped parsley.
Originally from here: Completely Chicken
DRENCHED CHICKEN CHUNKS
淋雞件 LIM KAI KIN
Drenched Chicken Chunks
One three pound chicken, chopped into chunks.
Half a cup of shelled peanuts.
Quarter cup of rice wine or sherry.
Two TBS expressed ginger juice.
One TBS cornstarch.
Half TBS sugar.
Half TBS soy sauce.
Plus:
Four cups broth.
Four cups rice wine or sherry.
Minced ginger and garlic.
Chopped scallion.
Marinate chicken pieces for an hour in the half cup sherry, ginger juice, corn starch, sugar, and soy sauce. Drain and pat dry. Reserve marinade. Meanwhile wash and soak the peanuts to remove the red skins and to soften them.
Heat oil in a pan, add ginger, add garlic, then add chicken pieces, followed shortly by the peanuts. Stir over high heat till coloured somewhat and fragrant. Add the sherry and the broth, bring to a boil, turn low and simmer for twenty minutes. Remove the chicken pieces to a dish. Add the reserved marinade to the pan, bring to a boil, and pour over the chicken. Let it stand a few minutes, then garnish with the chopped scallion and serve.
Originally from here: Completely Chicken
Drenched Chicken Chunks
One three pound chicken, chopped into chunks.
Half a cup of shelled peanuts.
Quarter cup of rice wine or sherry.
Two TBS expressed ginger juice.
One TBS cornstarch.
Half TBS sugar.
Half TBS soy sauce.
Plus:
Four cups broth.
Four cups rice wine or sherry.
Minced ginger and garlic.
Chopped scallion.
Marinate chicken pieces for an hour in the half cup sherry, ginger juice, corn starch, sugar, and soy sauce. Drain and pat dry. Reserve marinade. Meanwhile wash and soak the peanuts to remove the red skins and to soften them.
Heat oil in a pan, add ginger, add garlic, then add chicken pieces, followed shortly by the peanuts. Stir over high heat till coloured somewhat and fragrant. Add the sherry and the broth, bring to a boil, turn low and simmer for twenty minutes. Remove the chicken pieces to a dish. Add the reserved marinade to the pan, bring to a boil, and pour over the chicken. Let it stand a few minutes, then garnish with the chopped scallion and serve.
Originally from here: Completely Chicken
SALT WATER CHICKEN
鹹水雞 HAAM SUI KAI
Salt Water Chicken
One three pound chicken.
Two cups water.
Half a cup of cane sugar.
Quarter cup of salt.
Jigger of rice wine or sherry.
Two star anise pods, two chopped scallion, two or three thick slices ginger (whacked with the back of the cleaver), and one clove garlic (also whacked).
Bring the water and the various flavourings listed to a boil.
Simmer briefly, cool down and refrigerate.
In a second vessel heat enough water to inundate the chicken entirely. When it boils, do precisely that. Remove the chicken, rinse under cold water, and repeat. The third time place the chicken in the boiling water, put a lid on the pot, and turn off the heat. After thirty minutes remove the bird and rinse under cold water. It is now at the exact stage of cooked that Chinese people like, but it would have done no harm if you had simmered it for a few minutes before turning off the heat. Or you could turn on the flame, and once it boils place the chicken in it one more time, turning off heat and letting it stand for ten minutes.
Once the chicken has been removed from the water for the last time wipe it dry, then brush it very thoroughly with sesame oil. Now prick the chicken all over with a needle, and place it in the cold salt-water mixture in the refrigerator for twenty-four hours. To serve, chop it into chopstickable chunks, strew with a little freshly minced scallion, and sprinkle with a little of the soaking liquid. The boil-water can be used for a broth.
Originally from here: Completely Chicken
Salt Water Chicken
One three pound chicken.
Two cups water.
Half a cup of cane sugar.
Quarter cup of salt.
Jigger of rice wine or sherry.
Two star anise pods, two chopped scallion, two or three thick slices ginger (whacked with the back of the cleaver), and one clove garlic (also whacked).
Bring the water and the various flavourings listed to a boil.
Simmer briefly, cool down and refrigerate.
In a second vessel heat enough water to inundate the chicken entirely. When it boils, do precisely that. Remove the chicken, rinse under cold water, and repeat. The third time place the chicken in the boiling water, put a lid on the pot, and turn off the heat. After thirty minutes remove the bird and rinse under cold water. It is now at the exact stage of cooked that Chinese people like, but it would have done no harm if you had simmered it for a few minutes before turning off the heat. Or you could turn on the flame, and once it boils place the chicken in it one more time, turning off heat and letting it stand for ten minutes.
Once the chicken has been removed from the water for the last time wipe it dry, then brush it very thoroughly with sesame oil. Now prick the chicken all over with a needle, and place it in the cold salt-water mixture in the refrigerator for twenty-four hours. To serve, chop it into chopstickable chunks, strew with a little freshly minced scallion, and sprinkle with a little of the soaking liquid. The boil-water can be used for a broth.
Originally from here: Completely Chicken
GINGER SCALLION CHICKEN CHUNKS
薑蔥炆雞丁GEUNG CHUNG MAN KAI DING
Ginger-Scallion Simmered Chicken Chunks
One pound chicken on the bone, whacked into chopstickable pieces.
Three scallions, sectioned.
Sliced ginger.
Four TBS sherry.
Two TBS soy sauce.
One TBS sugar.
Wash and dry chicken, dust with a teaspoon of cornflour, add a dash of oil and toss to coat. Stirfry in scant oil to firm up. Decant temporarily to a plate.
Sauté ginger and scallion till fragrant, add chicken to the pan along with the sherry, soy sauce, sugar, and a splash of water. Simmer on low for ten to fifteen minutes.
Put in a shallow bowl to serve.
Originally from here: Completely Chicken
Ginger-Scallion Simmered Chicken Chunks
One pound chicken on the bone, whacked into chopstickable pieces.
Three scallions, sectioned.
Sliced ginger.
Four TBS sherry.
Two TBS soy sauce.
One TBS sugar.
Wash and dry chicken, dust with a teaspoon of cornflour, add a dash of oil and toss to coat. Stirfry in scant oil to firm up. Decant temporarily to a plate.
Sauté ginger and scallion till fragrant, add chicken to the pan along with the sherry, soy sauce, sugar, and a splash of water. Simmer on low for ten to fifteen minutes.
Put in a shallow bowl to serve.
Originally from here: Completely Chicken
SOY SAUCE CHICKEN, SECOND VERSION
豉油雞 SI YAU KAI
Soy Sauce Chicken
One whole chicken, about four pounds.
Two cups soy sauce.
Half a cup sherry or rice wine.
Six TBS cane sugar.
Six slices of ginger.
Three garlic cloves, whole.
Three scallion, sectioned.
Three star anise pods.
One piece of dried tangerine peel (陳皮 'chan pei').
One dried honey date (金絲蜜棗乾 'gam si mat jou gon').
Eight cups water.
Rinse the chicken, and trim flaps.
Gild the ginger, garlic, and scallion with a little oil in the bottom of a large stockpot, adding the ginger first, then the garlic cloves and scallion sections. Seethe with the sherry, then add everything except the chicken and bring to a boil. Simmer a few minutes, then submerge the chicken, rump upwards. Bring back to a boil, turn low, and poach for a scant twenty minutes.
Turn off heat, cover, and let stand for an hour or so.
Remove chicken and drain.
Bring pot back to a boil and reduce liquid by half. Strain and cool.
Chop the chicken into large pieces. Arrange on a platter and spoon some of the liquid over.
Originally from here: Completely Chicken
Soy Sauce Chicken
One whole chicken, about four pounds.
Two cups soy sauce.
Half a cup sherry or rice wine.
Six TBS cane sugar.
Six slices of ginger.
Three garlic cloves, whole.
Three scallion, sectioned.
Three star anise pods.
One piece of dried tangerine peel (陳皮 'chan pei').
One dried honey date (金絲蜜棗乾 'gam si mat jou gon').
Eight cups water.
Rinse the chicken, and trim flaps.
Gild the ginger, garlic, and scallion with a little oil in the bottom of a large stockpot, adding the ginger first, then the garlic cloves and scallion sections. Seethe with the sherry, then add everything except the chicken and bring to a boil. Simmer a few minutes, then submerge the chicken, rump upwards. Bring back to a boil, turn low, and poach for a scant twenty minutes.
Turn off heat, cover, and let stand for an hour or so.
Remove chicken and drain.
Bring pot back to a boil and reduce liquid by half. Strain and cool.
Chop the chicken into large pieces. Arrange on a platter and spoon some of the liquid over.
Originally from here: Completely Chicken
PORK AND EGG STEW FOR NEW YEAR
滷蛋紅燒豬肉
LOU DAAN HONG SIU CHYU YIUK
Two pounds streaky pork belly (五花肉).
Two or three slices of ginger.
Two or three hard-boiled eggs.
Two or three whole star anise.
Two or three stalks green onion.
Quarter cup or more soy sauce.
Quarter cup or more sherry or rice wine.
Five or six soaked black mushrooms.
Two TBS sugar.
Peel the eggs but leave them whole.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Dump the pork into the pot, boil for about ten minutes, take it out and let it cool. When it's cold, cut it into chunks.
Heat some oil on the bottom of a stew pot or kastrol, add the ginger, stirfry briefly and add the green onion, which you have cut into one or two inch lengths and whacked slightly with the blunt edge of your cleaver. Remove all solids before they brown with a slotted spatula, add the pork, and gild it. When it has good browned edges, spoon off some of the grease that the heat had released, add the sherry or rice wine to sizzle, stir loose the crusty bits, then put everything else in the pot with water to generously cover.
Simmer on low heat for well over an hour.
This is a soppy version, with plenty of juices.
Good on top of rice or noodles.
The number of hard-boiled eggs can be increased if there are more people.
Increase soy sauce and sherry or rice wine plus water appropriately.
Equal parts soy and wine, one to two parts water.
Plus slight modifications else.
Originally from here: NEW YEAR'S PORK AND EGG STEW
LOU DAAN HONG SIU CHYU YIUK
Two pounds streaky pork belly (五花肉).
Two or three slices of ginger.
Two or three hard-boiled eggs.
Two or three whole star anise.
Two or three stalks green onion.
Quarter cup or more soy sauce.
Quarter cup or more sherry or rice wine.
Five or six soaked black mushrooms.
Two TBS sugar.
Peel the eggs but leave them whole.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Dump the pork into the pot, boil for about ten minutes, take it out and let it cool. When it's cold, cut it into chunks.
Heat some oil on the bottom of a stew pot or kastrol, add the ginger, stirfry briefly and add the green onion, which you have cut into one or two inch lengths and whacked slightly with the blunt edge of your cleaver. Remove all solids before they brown with a slotted spatula, add the pork, and gild it. When it has good browned edges, spoon off some of the grease that the heat had released, add the sherry or rice wine to sizzle, stir loose the crusty bits, then put everything else in the pot with water to generously cover.
Simmer on low heat for well over an hour.
This is a soppy version, with plenty of juices.
Good on top of rice or noodles.
The number of hard-boiled eggs can be increased if there are more people.
Increase soy sauce and sherry or rice wine plus water appropriately.
Equal parts soy and wine, one to two parts water.
Plus slight modifications else.
Originally from here: NEW YEAR'S PORK AND EGG STEW
SESAME GINGER CHICKEN
麻油雞 SESAME OIL AND GINGER CHICKEN
Six large pieces of chicken thighs (雞腿, 6塊).
Two dozen slices of ginger (薑, 24片).
One TBS Chinese wolfberries ('gau kei ji'), (枸杞子, 1湯匙).
Eight or nine large dried mushrooms (冬菇, 8-9個).
One third cup of black sesame oil (黑麻油, 1/3杯).
Four or five cups of Chinese rice wine, or sherry (米酒, 4-5杯).
Salt as suitable, a minor amount (鹽, 適量).
A pinch of sugar (一撮糖).
Black sesame oil is not commonly used in the cooking process, but added afterwards in small quantity to augment and brighten the flavour of dishes. It's darn well essential for Cantonese cuisine.
Here it is a main ingredient.
Look for 純正黑芝麻油 ('jeun jeng hak ji maa yau'; "pure & unadulterated black sesame oil") on the label. Many brands are mixed, because that is much cheaper, and perfectly suited to regular use.
Rinse and soak the mushrooms for two or three hours in water with a mere pinch of sugar, rinse the wolfberries (Lycium Sinense, 枸杞子) well. Cut each chicken thigh piece in half, a whack with the cleaver ought to do it. Sprinkle a little salt over. Pour the oil into a cool wok. Add the ginger slices, and over low heat cook till fragrant. More of a simmer, really. Then add the chicken bits and seethe till the pinkness is gone and there is a little colour. Pour in the sherry or rice wine, bring to a boil, add the mushrooms and wolf berries.
Turn low, simmer twenty minutes, it is done.
In Taiwan this is considered strengthening for new mothers, and served with a bowl of cooked noodles doused with the broth on the side. Normally I like noodles, but to me this is best with rice splashed with the broth, and a hefty dollop of sambal........ wich, of course, goes with nearly everything.
And perhaps a little cilantro.
People from sambal cultures would also have a small plate of long chunk cut cucumber on the side, which is cooling and good for the digestion.
Originally posted here: Sesame Ginger Chicken
Six large pieces of chicken thighs (雞腿, 6塊).
Two dozen slices of ginger (薑, 24片).
One TBS Chinese wolfberries ('gau kei ji'), (枸杞子, 1湯匙).
Eight or nine large dried mushrooms (冬菇, 8-9個).
One third cup of black sesame oil (黑麻油, 1/3杯).
Four or five cups of Chinese rice wine, or sherry (米酒, 4-5杯).
Salt as suitable, a minor amount (鹽, 適量).
A pinch of sugar (一撮糖).
Black sesame oil is not commonly used in the cooking process, but added afterwards in small quantity to augment and brighten the flavour of dishes. It's darn well essential for Cantonese cuisine.
Here it is a main ingredient.
Look for 純正黑芝麻油 ('jeun jeng hak ji maa yau'; "pure & unadulterated black sesame oil") on the label. Many brands are mixed, because that is much cheaper, and perfectly suited to regular use.
Rinse and soak the mushrooms for two or three hours in water with a mere pinch of sugar, rinse the wolfberries (Lycium Sinense, 枸杞子) well. Cut each chicken thigh piece in half, a whack with the cleaver ought to do it. Sprinkle a little salt over. Pour the oil into a cool wok. Add the ginger slices, and over low heat cook till fragrant. More of a simmer, really. Then add the chicken bits and seethe till the pinkness is gone and there is a little colour. Pour in the sherry or rice wine, bring to a boil, add the mushrooms and wolf berries.
Turn low, simmer twenty minutes, it is done.
In Taiwan this is considered strengthening for new mothers, and served with a bowl of cooked noodles doused with the broth on the side. Normally I like noodles, but to me this is best with rice splashed with the broth, and a hefty dollop of sambal........ wich, of course, goes with nearly everything.
And perhaps a little cilantro.
People from sambal cultures would also have a small plate of long chunk cut cucumber on the side, which is cooling and good for the digestion.
Originally posted here: Sesame Ginger Chicken
CRAB FOO YONG
芙蓉蟹
[Fu Yung Hai - Velvety omelette with crab meat]
1兩 (one ounce) 蟹肉 (crab meat).
2支 (two stalks) 青蔥 (scallion).
4個 (four) 蛋 (eggs).
少許 (pinch) 鹽 Salt).
2大匙 (two tablespoons) 油 (oil).
½杯 (half a cup) 高湯 (superior stock).
1大匙 (one tablespoon) 醬油 (soy sauce).
½小匙 (half a teaspoon) 大白粉 (tapioca flour).
少許 (pinch) 糖 (sugar).
Remove all shell fragments from the crab meat, rinse and chop the scallion. Gently beat the eggs till smooth, add the pinch of salt, the oil, the crab meat, and the chopped scallion.
Mix the tapioca flour with a little cold water.
Heat some oil in the wok, pour in the egg mixture, cook till barely set, and slide onto a plate. Wipe any fragments of the omelette out of the wok, add a drizzle oil, and when hot pour in the superior stock and soy sauce, adding the pinch of sugar. After two minutes or so of cooking, stir in the dissolved tapioca flour and when the sauce becomes glossy pour it over the omelette. Add a drizzle of fragrant sesame oil and some minced cilantro.
You will note that in this recipe tapioca flour is specified. But you could also use corn flour, it would simply require a little more. For the Chinese style superior stock you may substitute the normal chicken and bones stock. And feel free to use more crab meat.
[Fu Yung Hai - Velvety omelette with crab meat]
1兩 (one ounce) 蟹肉 (crab meat).
2支 (two stalks) 青蔥 (scallion).
4個 (four) 蛋 (eggs).
少許 (pinch) 鹽 Salt).
2大匙 (two tablespoons) 油 (oil).
½杯 (half a cup) 高湯 (superior stock).
1大匙 (one tablespoon) 醬油 (soy sauce).
½小匙 (half a teaspoon) 大白粉 (tapioca flour).
少許 (pinch) 糖 (sugar).
Remove all shell fragments from the crab meat, rinse and chop the scallion. Gently beat the eggs till smooth, add the pinch of salt, the oil, the crab meat, and the chopped scallion.
Mix the tapioca flour with a little cold water.
Heat some oil in the wok, pour in the egg mixture, cook till barely set, and slide onto a plate. Wipe any fragments of the omelette out of the wok, add a drizzle oil, and when hot pour in the superior stock and soy sauce, adding the pinch of sugar. After two minutes or so of cooking, stir in the dissolved tapioca flour and when the sauce becomes glossy pour it over the omelette. Add a drizzle of fragrant sesame oil and some minced cilantro.
You will note that in this recipe tapioca flour is specified. But you could also use corn flour, it would simply require a little more. For the Chinese style superior stock you may substitute the normal chicken and bones stock. And feel free to use more crab meat.
CLASSIC CANTONESE CRAB
CLASSIC CANTONESE CRAB 薑葱蟹
['Geung Chung Haai']
Two large live Dungeness crabs
Four TBS cooking oil
Four or five scallion, segment-chopped
Four or five slices of ginger
Quarter cup sherry or 黄酒
A dash of soy sauce
Two TBS cornstarch
Salt and pepper
Pinch sugar
Put the crabs in the fridge for ten minutes to slow the little buggers down. Then place them on their backs and whack them straight across with a cleaver, opening them stem to stern; this kills them. Clean out the unmentionable parts, then put the crabs in a plastic or brown paper bag to smash and crack appropriately. This renders pieces with accesible meat, especially in the claws -- required for both the cooking as well as the subsequent eating -- and the bag prevents goo from splattering your kitchen.
You should have several large crabby sections now.
Mix the cornstarch, salt, & pepper.
Dredge the crab parts.
[The pieces should be dusted, not totally covered. A scant coating, in other words.]
Superheat the oil in the wok, add the ginger and fry till slightly gilded, then throw in the scallion. Twirl everything around the inside of the wok to infuse the oil with flavour, then before the scallion burns or colours, scoop out the vegetable matter with a slotted spoon, and while the pan is hot, dump in the crab. Stir around to make sure all parts get seared in oil, as the dredgement should be cooked. Re-add the ginger and scallion, stir, and pour in the sherry and soy sauce, add the pinch of sugar. Toss around to let the cooking finish with steam; about three minutes or so.
To serve, dump on a platter.
Cilantro is optional.
A dipping saucer with chilipaste, fish sauce, and lime juice on the side is an excellent idea. Yes, if you bashed the beast properly you can eat it with chopsticks, but you're still going to end up using your hands.
['Geung Chung Haai']
Two large live Dungeness crabs
Four TBS cooking oil
Four or five scallion, segment-chopped
Four or five slices of ginger
Quarter cup sherry or 黄酒
A dash of soy sauce
Two TBS cornstarch
Salt and pepper
Pinch sugar
Put the crabs in the fridge for ten minutes to slow the little buggers down. Then place them on their backs and whack them straight across with a cleaver, opening them stem to stern; this kills them. Clean out the unmentionable parts, then put the crabs in a plastic or brown paper bag to smash and crack appropriately. This renders pieces with accesible meat, especially in the claws -- required for both the cooking as well as the subsequent eating -- and the bag prevents goo from splattering your kitchen.
You should have several large crabby sections now.
Mix the cornstarch, salt, & pepper.
Dredge the crab parts.
[The pieces should be dusted, not totally covered. A scant coating, in other words.]
Superheat the oil in the wok, add the ginger and fry till slightly gilded, then throw in the scallion. Twirl everything around the inside of the wok to infuse the oil with flavour, then before the scallion burns or colours, scoop out the vegetable matter with a slotted spoon, and while the pan is hot, dump in the crab. Stir around to make sure all parts get seared in oil, as the dredgement should be cooked. Re-add the ginger and scallion, stir, and pour in the sherry and soy sauce, add the pinch of sugar. Toss around to let the cooking finish with steam; about three minutes or so.
To serve, dump on a platter.
Cilantro is optional.
A dipping saucer with chilipaste, fish sauce, and lime juice on the side is an excellent idea. Yes, if you bashed the beast properly you can eat it with chopsticks, but you're still going to end up using your hands.
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