The Chef

Restaurants

Meals

Drinks

Restaurants›Tokyo Express Japanese Steakhouse & Seafood Restaurant›Spider Recipe

Spider Recipe

Name: Tokyo Express Japanese Steakhouse & Seafood Restaurants SPIDER Recipe
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 4 each soft-shell crabs (cleaned, whole); 1 cups all-purpose flour; 0.25 cups cornstarch; 1 tsp fine sea salt; 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 2 each eggs (beaten); 1.5 cups panko breadcrumbs; 1 cups neutral oil for frying (vegetable/peanut); 1 tbsp unsalted butter; 0.5 each Japanese cucumber; 0.25 cups masago (smelt roe), orange; 1 tsp rice vinegar; 0.5 tsp sugar; 0.25 tsp kosher salt; 3 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise (Kewpie preferred); 0.5 tbsp sriracha; 1 tsp soy sauce; 1 tsp lemon juice; 1 tbsp scallions (thinly sliced); 0.5 tsp toasted sesame seeds; 4 each microgreens or shiso leaves (optional, for garnish)

Inspired by Tokyo Express Japanese Steakhouse & Seafood Restaurant

Time40m

Serves4

Soft shell crab, cucumber & masago

Was this page helpful?

Help improve this recipe for others.

Send this recipe to your inbox.

We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.

Ingredients

Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Soft-Shell Crab

4 each soft-shell crabs (cleaned, whole)

1 cups 00 bread flour

1/4 cups Cornstarch

1 tsp fine sea salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 each eggs (beaten)

1 1/2 cups Panko breadcrumbs

1 cups neutral oil for frying (vegetable/peanut)

1 tbsp Unsalted butter

Cucumber & Masago Roll / Garnish

1/2 each Japanese cucumber

1/4 cups masago (smelt roe), orange

1 tsp Rice vinegar

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp kosher salt

Sauce & Finish

3 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise (Kewpie preferred)

1/2 tbsp sriracha

1 tsp Aged soy sauce

1 tsp ReaLemon lemon juice

1 tbsp scallions (thinly sliced)

1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

4 each microgreens or shiso leaves (optional, for garnish)

Method

Soft-Shell Crab

Prepare crabs

Rinse the cleaned soft-shell crabs under cold water and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Remove the mouthparts if they remain and trim tips of the legs if needed so crabs lay flat.

Set up breading station

In one shallow dish combine the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, salt and pepper. In a second dish beat the eggs until smooth. In a third dish place the panko breadcrumbs. Keep stations in order: flour, egg, panko.

Bread the crabs

Dredge each crab first in the flour mixture (shake off excess), then dip into the beaten eggs, then press into panko until evenly coated. Shake lightly to remove loose crumbs and set on a tray while you preheat oil.

Fry

Heat a heavy skillet (cast iron recommended) over medium-high heat. Add neutral oil and butter. When oil reaches 350°F (175°C) or when a small piece of panko sizzles immediately, carefully add crabs, one or two at a time without overcrowding. Fry about 2.5–3 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp. Use tongs to gently press legs out so they crisp. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate and season lightly with a pinch of kosher salt while hot.

Cucumber & Masago Roll / Garnish

Prepare cucumber

Trim and julienne the cucumber into long thin batons or use a peeler to make thin ribbons. If using ribbons, stack and cut into 3–4 inch lengths suitable for rolling under the crab.

Season cucumber

Combine rice vinegar, sugar and kosher salt in a small bowl and stir until dissolved. Toss cucumber pieces with the dressing and let sit for 5 minutes, then drain any excess liquid.

Masago finish

Keep the masago chilled until plating. Right before plating, use a small spoon to mound a small quenelle or line of masago to place on or beside each crab.

Sauce & Finish

Make sauce

In a small bowl whisk together the Japanese mayonnaise, sriracha, soy sauce and lemon juice until smooth. Taste and adjust heat or acidity as desired.

Assemble plates

Place a small nest of the dressed cucumber on each plate. Set one fried soft-shell crab on top of each cucumber nest, crab belly up so legs radiate (the classic 'spider' presentation). Spoon a little spicy mayo on the crab or drizzle around the plate. Add a spoonful of masago beside or atop the crab. Sprinkle sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds over the crab and plate. Garnish with microgreens or shiso leaves if using.

Serve

Serve immediately while the crab is hot and crisp, with extra lemon wedges or additional spicy mayo on the side.