Soft Shell Crab Bao

Crispy softshell crab with a Singaporean-style chilli sauce. An absolute flavor explosion.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Soak dried chillies in hot water until soft (~10 min).

Step 2

In a food processor, combine shallot, garlic, ginger, chillies, shrimp paste, taucu until it becomes a paste.

Step 3

In a pot over medium heat, saute paste until fragrant (~2 min). Add tomato passata, chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Then add sweet chilli sauce and a whisked egg while stirring. Remove from the heat and season with sugar, salt, and rice vinegar.

Step 4

Mix the yeast, sugar and lukewarm milk (~35 C) and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.

Step 5

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the yeast mixture and knead until a rough dough forms. (~4 minutes). Cover and rest the dough for 1 hour or until the dough doubles in size.

Step 6

Punch the air out of the dough and divide the dough into 70 g portions. Form each piece into balls. Roll out each ball and brush one side with oil and fold over.

Step 7

Place each bao onto a parchment square and proof it for 15 minutes. Transfer the baos into a steaming basket and steam for 10 minutes.

Step 8

With a pair of scissors, cut face, gills, and tail off of crabs (look at video).

Step 9

Combine rice flour, corn starch, salt, and coat crabs. Fill a cast iron pan with 1 cm of oil and heat until it reaches 350 F.

Step 10

Fry crabs on both sides until golden brown (~ 3 min a side). Drain on a paper-towel lined tray and immediately season with salt.

Step 11

Assemble the baos with a crab, chilli sauce, and cilantro.