-
Preparation
30 minutes
-
Cooking
1 hour 30 minutes
-
Difficulty
Easy
Marinated crab is a traditional Korean dish with a delicious, unique flavor that is simple and easy to make. Into the kitchen with TasteVN and learn the recipe for this snack right away!
Ingredients for Marinated Crab (Ganjang gejang) Serves 4
Sea crab 1 kg (or sea crabs) Red apple 1 piece Kelp 100 gr (dried) Onion 1 bulb Garlic 6 bulbs Ginger 1/2 bulb (minced) Red chili 3 pieces (dried) Green chili 3 pieces (minced) Soy sauce 100 ml Rice syrup 50 ml Salt a little
How to choose good ingredients
How to choose fresh crabs
- The best time to buy crabs with firm and fatty meat is at the beginning and end of the lunar month, avoid buying crabs in the middle of the lunar month because they often molt, tend to be soft, and have a fishy smell.
- Choose crabs that feel just right in your hand, are firm, and heavy for their size.
- If you prefer crab meat, choose male crabs, which have a small belly shaped like a Y. Press your finger against the belly (under the chest, near the paddle legs), if it doesn’t dent, it’s a firm crab.
- If you prefer crabs with roe, choose female crabs, which have a large, round belly that is slightly yellow, and their legs should be very firm, not soft or slightly dented.
Where to buy rice syrup and kelp?
You can buy rice syrup and kelp on e-commerce sites or stores specializing in Korean food with prices ranging:
- For rice syrup: from 150,000 VND – 250,000 VND/ 1 liter (price updated on 23/12/2020).
- For kelp: from 100,000 VND – 200,000 VND/ 100gr (price updated on 23/12/2020).
When purchasing, please pay attention to check the expiration date and labels printed on the product packaging to ensure quality!
Tools needed
How to make Marinated Crab (Ganjang gejang)
-
Prepare vegetables
Onion after purchasing, peel off the skin, wash clean, drain, and then slice thinly about 1/4 finger length.
Red apple wash clean, drain, and cut into thin slices about 1/4 finger length.
-
Preparation of crabs
Sea crabs are thoroughly washed, and the tips of the claws are cut off. Use your hands to remove the shell from the crab, then wash it thoroughly with clean water.
Cover the cleaned shell back onto the body of the crab and let it drain.
Proper way to prepare crabs
- Use a sharp object to immobilize the crab so it does not move, then use a brush to clean it, scrubbing the crab to ensure it is clean.
- During the preparation process, you can wash the crab with white alcohol or crushed ginger mixed with water to eliminate the fishy smell.
- When you buy crabs, you should start preparing them immediately while they are still alive for fresher and sweeter meat.
- When preparing, be careful not to remove the ties of the crab, as live crabs are very strong, and their claws can injure your hands.
-
Cooking the sauce
Place a pot on the stove, add a mixture of 100ml soy sauce, 300ml purified water, 50ml rice syrup, 100gr kelp, 1 chopped onion, 1 thinly sliced red apple, 3 whole dried red chilies, 3 finely chopped green chilies, 6 peeled garlic cloves, 1/2 chopped ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
Cook the mixture over high heat for 15-20 minutes until it boils, then reduce to low heat and continue cooking for about 1 more hour before turning off the heat.
Allow the mixture to cool, then use a strainer to filter the sauce and let it cool completely.
-
Marinating the crab
Place the crab in a large, wide-mouth glass jar, belly side down.
Pour the sauce into the jar and use a heavy object to press the crab down so that it is submerged in the sauce. Keep the marinated crab in the refrigerator for about 24 hours to complete the process.
Tip: To ensure the crab is submerged in the soy sauce, you can use a stone or a metal weight, then wrap it in a plastic bag and place it on top of the crab.
-
Final Product
The marinated crab dish (Ganjang gejang) retains the natural sweetness of the crab meat combined with the spiciness of chili and the fragrant aroma of soy sauce, which is truly appealing, isn’t it?
You can enjoy it with white rice, seaweed, or kimchi, and it will be very delicious without being overwhelming. Wishing you a good meal!
How to enjoy marinated crabs
- Use a knife or scissors to cut the crabs into bite-sized pieces. Use the back of the knife to crush the hard shell for easier enjoyment.
- Separate the crab meat from the legs, claws, and body for easier consumption.
- You can serve it with chopped green onions, minced red and green chili peppers, and toasted sesame seeds to make the dish more appealing.
How to store marinated crabs
- After two days of marinating the crabs, strain the soy sauce and boil it again, let it cool, then pour it back to marinate the crabs to ensure they absorb the soy sauce evenly.
- Store marinated crabs in the refrigerator’s cool compartment. The crabs are best consumed within about a week. If you want to store them longer, separate the sauce and the crabs, and freeze them in the freezer. When needed, just reheat them to use.
See more:
Hope that with the how to make marinated crabs (Ganjang gejang), you have added a delicious and unique dish to your family’s menu. Wishing you success with the recipe from TasteVN!
*Refer to the recipe and images from the YouTube channel Maangchi
