Simple, delicious, and attractive recipe for sour and spicy crab hotpot

How to prepare Sour and Spicy Crab Hotpot

• 1

  Prepare the crab

  After purchasing the crabs, wash them thoroughly and prepare them carefully to eliminate any fishy smell, enhancing the deliciousness of the dish.

  After cleaning, cut off the apron, split the crab in half, remove the shell, and separate the crab roe into a bowl.

  Add 20g of garlic, 1/2 tablespoon of ground pepper, 1/2 tablespoon of sugar, 1/3 tablespoon of seasoning powder, and 1 tablespoon of fish sauce to the crab. Marinate for about 10 – 15 minutes for the flavors to infuse.

  Tips for preparing and storing crabs

  • Soak the crabs in a bowl of ice water to temporarily stun them, preventing them from losing their legs while cooking.
  • Once the crabs are firm, remove the binding, and use a toothbrush to scrub the entire body of the crab, including the joints, thoroughly clean, then rinse the crabs again to remove all dirt and mud.
  • If you don’t have time to prepare the crabs immediately, place them in the freezer or on a block of ice to keep them firm without killing them. Do not submerge the crabs in water, as the temperature shock can cause them to die quickly.

  

  

  
• 2

  Prepare shrimp, squid, straw mushrooms, and simmer pork bones

  Grill the dried squid and then tear it into small pieces.

  Soak the dried shrimp in water until they soften.

  Cut off the stems of the straw mushrooms, soak them in salt, then rinse thoroughly, drain, and cut them in half or into quarters.

  Wash the pork bones, then simmer them with onions and the torn dried squid to make the broth for the crab hot pot.

  After thoroughly preparing the bone marrow, simmer the bones for about 1 hour to make the broth for the hot pot.

  Tips for cleaning the bone marrow without a foul smell:

  • When you buy them, you must cut the bones into small pieces, then wash them with diluted salt water.
  • Before simmering the bones for broth, you should blanch them first and discard the initial boiling water because this water is contaminated with the smell of the bones, which will make the broth less fragrant.

  Tips for simmering bone marrow to achieve a delicious, sweet broth:

  • When simmering the bones, do not cover the pot completely as this will make the broth cloudy. Also, remember to skim off the foam to keep the broth clear.
  • It is advisable to simmer the bones on low heat so that the sweetness from the bones is fully released, enhancing the flavor of the hot pot.
  • Simmer for at least 1 hour, but ideally, cook until the meat surrounding the bones is tender for the sweetest broth. Avoid simmering the bones for too long, as this can make the broth cloudy and sour, detracting from the dish’s flavor.

  

  

  

  
• 3

  Prepare other ingredients

  Wash tomatoes, cut into wedges. Peel the onion, cut into small pieces.

  Peeled shallots, garlic, minced lemongrass.

  Chopped cilantro. Sliced chili.

  Cut passion fruit in half, strain to get the juice.

  

  

  

  
• 4

  Stir-fry crab meat

  Place a pan on the stove, add oil, and when the oil is hot, add the shallots and sauté on low heat. When the shallots turn golden, add the crab meat and stir-fry immediately. Stir-fry until the crab meat is dry on the surface.

  
• 5

  Cook the hotpot broth

  Place the pot on the stove, add minced shallots and lemongrass to sauté until fragrant, then add tomatoes and stir-fry.

  Next, add the marinated crab and stir evenly until the crab changes color.

  Then add the bone broth from earlier into the pot.

  Cook until it boils, then add the filtered passion fruit juice, straw mushrooms, and onions.

  Finally, scoop the crab onto a plate and season the hotpot broth to taste.

  

  

  

  
• 6

  Final product

  You pour the hotpot mixture into the electric hotpot, adding the sautéed crab fat on top. Prepare an additional plate of water spinach, morning glory, and a plate of vermicelli; you can add them to the pot as you eat.

  And that’s it, you’ve completed a delicious and nutritious sour spicy crab hotpot to enjoy with your family. Enjoy the fantastic sour spicy crab hotpot at home!