Imagine a watery risotto cooked in lobster bisque. That is what shuttle crab congee is like. This is how to make it. Thank me later.

This is not a dish for the faint of the heart. It is fun to cook and to eat but it is not easy to get it just right. I had this dish in Guangzhou China almost eighteen years ago, but the feeling of the subtle sweet liquid meal flowing down my throat still lingers.

That is why I had to make it at home!!!

Name: Shuttle Crab Congee

Difficulty: 8 out of 10

Prep time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

— two medium sized shuttle crabs, preferably live but flash frozen is also okay.

— one pots of cooked rice, approximately 1.5 Liters

— five slices of ginger, this goes into the congee.

— 1 liter of organic chicken broth, organic version has more flavour.

— 1/4 cup shredded ginger, 1/4 cup chopped green onion, Himalayan salt, these go on top of the congee when you serve them.

Steps:

1. clean and prepare the crabs by brushing them under running water. Quarter the crabs and chop them into manageable pieces. I find a cleaver works well. Try not to shatter the shells too much.
2. combine rice, sliced ginger and chicken stock into a big pot and add 3 cups of water. Bring it to boil and let it simmer for 30 mins. It is important to keep the lid off and watch the pot as it tend to boil over. You want a nice and even consistency in your congee.
3. Add the crab pieces and stir until evenly distributed. Simmer for another 20 mins.
4. place the shredded ginger and chopped green onion on a plate on the dinner table for people to add themselves.
5. add salt to congee in the pot to taste and scoop them out to large bowls.
6. some traditional sides for the congee are fritters, roasted peanuts and fermented cabbages.

The main thing about this dish is not to mess around too much. If the seafood is fresh your congee will taste amazing. It is a messy dish to eat so don’t wear your tuxedo. Be careful of the shells, especially if you have small children. If a small piece gets lodged in their throat, make them drink a cup of vinegar slowly to soften the bone and make it go down.

If you are ever in Guangzhou just ask your local friends to bring you to a place for “Hua1 Xie4 Zhou1” the chinese name for Shuttle Crab Congee. Then you will know whether you were close in your efforts. Have fun and enjoy.

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Published by ZEN WANG

Nuclear Project Engineer turned Filmmaker. View all posts by ZEN WANG