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.