Recipe - Deep-Fried Marinated Crabs

6 Dried black mushrooms
6 Softshelled crabs
One half Clove garlic
2 sl Fresh ginger root
2 tablespoon Soy sauce
2 tablespoon Sherry
1 tablespoon Water
3 dr Sesame oil; more or less
1 cup Bamboo shoots
One fourth cup Water chestnuts
One fourth cup Snow peas
1 cup Chinese cabbage stems
1 Clove garlic
One half Head lettuce
2 Eggs
One half cup Flour
1 pn Salt
1 ds Pepper
Oil for deepfrying
2 tablespoon Oil
One half teaspoon Salt
One half cup Stock
1 tablespoon Cornstarch
1 teaspoon Sugar
1 teaspoon Soy sauce
One half cup Water

1. Soak dried mushrooms.

2. Clean crabs and, with a cleaver, chop each in 4 pieces.

3. Mince garlic and ginger root; then combine with soy sauce, sherry, water
and sesame oil. Add to crab sections and let stand 30 minutes, turning
occasionally. Drain, reserving marinade.

4. Meanwhile shred bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, snow peas, Chinese
cabbage stems and soaked mushrooms. Crush remaining garlic. Cut lettuce in
strips.

5. Beat eggs lightly; then combine with flour and beat to a smooth batter.
Add salt and pepper; beat 1 minute more. Dip crab sections in batter to
coat.

6. Heat oil. Add crab sections, a few at a time, and deepfry until golden.
Drain on paper toweling. Keep warm.

7. Heat remaining oil. Add remaining salt, then crushed garlic; stirfry a
few times. Add shredded vegetables (but not lettuce) and stirfry 2
minutes.

8. Add crab marinade and stirfry 2 minutes more. Stir in stock and heat
quickly. Then simmer, covered, over medium heat, another 2 minutes.

9. Meanwhile blend cornstarch and sugar to a paste with remaining soy sauce
and water. Then stir in to thicken.

10. Arrange crabs on shredded lettuce. Pour sauce over and serve, either
with lemon slices or a vinegar dip (see "AllPurpose Seafood Dip").

From The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook, ISBN 0517658704. Downloaded
from Glen's MM Recipe Archive, http://www.erols.com/hosey.