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Soft Shell Crab Recipe

Name: Ta Ca Asian Fusion & Sushi Bars Soft Shell Crab Recipe
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 4 each soft shell crabs; 1 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tbs cornstarch; 0.5 tsp baking powder; 1 cups ice-cold sparkling water; 4 each ice cubes; 1 each egg (large); 1 tsp kosher salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 1 cups vegetable oil (for frying); 4 cups mixed lettuce leaves (butter, romaine, mizuna or similar); 0.5 cups cucumber, thinly sliced (optional); 2 tbs green onion, thinly sliced; 4 each lemon wedges; 0.5 cups dashi stock (or low-sodium chicken/vegetable stock); 2 tbs light soy sauce; 1 tbs mirin; 0.5 tsp granulated sugar; 0.25 cups soy sauce; 0.25 cups mirin; 2 tbs granulated sugar; 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds; 2 tbs microgreens or shiso (optional); 0.25 cups tempura dipping sauce (optional extra)

Inspired by Ta Ca Asian Fusion & Sushi Bar

Time45m

Serves4

Lettuce, tempura sauce, eel sauce

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Ingredients

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Soft Shell Crab

4 each soft shell crabs

1 cups 00 bread flour

1 tbs Cornstarch

1/2 tsp Baking powder

1 cups ice-cold sparkling water

4 each ice cubes

1 each egg (large)

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 cups vegetable oil (for frying)

4 cups mixed lettuce leaves (butter, romaine, mizuna or similar)

1/2 cups cucumber, thinly sliced (optional)

2 tbs green onion, thinly sliced

4 each lemon wedges

Tempura-style Sauce (Tempura Sauce)

1/2 cups dashi stock (or low-sodium chicken/vegetable stock)

2 tbs light soy sauce

1 tbs Mirin

1/2 tsp granulated sugar

Eel Sauce (Unagi Sauce)

1/4 cups Aged soy sauce

1/4 cups Mirin

2 tbs granulated sugar

Finishing & Garnish

1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

2 tbs microgreens or shiso (optional)

1/4 cups tempura dipping sauce (optional extra)

Method

Soft Shell Crab

Prepare crabs

Rinse the soft shell crabs under cold water and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Remove the face plate and gills if the crabs have them (lift the shell, remove the gill filaments). Trim the claws slightly if desired for presentation. Lightly score the underside of the body (fan-shaped belly) with shallow diagonal cuts to prevent curling while frying. Season both sides lightly with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (reserve remaining salt/pepper for batter).

Make batter

In a bowl, whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder. In a separate chilled bowl, lightly beat 1 large egg with the ice-cold sparkling water and 4 ice cubes; keeping the liquid very cold helps create a crisp tempura texture. Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and stir briefly with a fork — do not overmix; a few lumps are ok.

Heat oil

Pour at least 1"–2" of vegetable oil into a heavy pot or deep skillet (about 1 cup for a small pan) and heat to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small piece of batter: it should sizzle and float up steadily.

Fry crabs

Dust each crab lightly with a tablespoon of additional flour (this helps batter adhere). Dip each crab into the batter to coat evenly, allowing excess to drip off, then carefully lower into the hot oil, two at a time so they don't crowd the pan. Fry 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp. Adjust heat to maintain 325–350°F. Remove crabs to a rack or paper towel-lined tray to drain. Season immediately with a pinch of salt.

Keep warm

If frying in batches, keep finished crabs in a 200°F (95°C) oven on a wire rack to stay crisp while you finish the rest.

Tempura-style Sauce (Tempura Sauce)

Combine 1/2 cup dashi, 2 tablespoons light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon mirin and 1/2 teaspoon sugar in a small saucepan. Warm gently over low heat just until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is heated through (do not boil). Taste and adjust (add a little more soy for saltiness or mirin for sweetness). Keep warm or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Eel Sauce (Unagi Sauce)

In a small saucepan combine 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup mirin and 2 tablespoons sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 6–8 minutes; it should coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and let cool — it will thicken a bit more as it cools. If too thick, thin with a teaspoon of water.

Assembly & Garnish

On a serving plate, arrange 1 cup mixed lettuce per portion (4 cups total for 4 servings). Add a few slices of cucumber and sprinkle green onion evenly over the greens.

Place one fried soft shell crab on top of each bed of lettuce. Drizzle each crab lightly with 1–2 teaspoons eel sauce, and serve the tempura-style sauce on the side for dipping (about 1–2 tablespoons per person).

Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and microgreens or shiso if using. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over the crab.