Black Pepper Butter Crab with Egg Noodles (黑椒牛油蟹生麵)
Black Pepper Butter Crab with Egg Noodles is exactly as the name promises - buttery and elevated with a gentle peppercorn heat!
- Prep time
- 45 min
- Cook time
- 40 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 375 g / 0.8 lb egg noodles ((1 small packet))
- 2 crab
- 4 tbsp potato starch ((or enough to just coat the crabs))
- spring onion/shallot ((finely chopped and/or cut into long segments; for garnishing))
- coriander ((roughly chopped; for garnishing))
- 4 tbsp oil ((for the noodles))
- oil ((for frying the crabs))
- water ((for cooking the noodles))
- 80 g / 0.18 lb unsalted butter
- 5 cloves garlic ((thinly sliced))
- 1 onion ((cut into strips))
- 1 tsp salt ((or to taste))
- 1 tsp sugar ((or to taste))
- 1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
- 1 tbsp black peppercorn
- 1 US cup water
- 2 tbsp oil
Instructions
- 1
Fill up a pot of water and bring it to a boil. Put the egg noodles in to cook for 5 minutes or until al dente.
- 2
Drain, then run under cold water to slow down the cooking process and let it drip dry in a colander.
- 3
Use a mortar and pestle to pound the peppercorns until they've all split open. Leave them aside for later.
- 4
Lightly coat the crab pieces in potato starch, then heat up a pot of oil until hot and add the crab pieces in. Leave the carapace (the head or lid of the shellfish) out of the frying.
- 5
Let the pieces cook for 5 minutes or until just starting to cook.
- 6
Transfer them into a bowl for later.
- 7
In a wok or pan, turn the heat up to high and pour 4 tbsp cooking oil in. Lower the heat to medium and add the noodles in, spreading them out across the surface of the pan or wok.Note: The thinner the noodle layer, the quicker it will cook and crisp up.
- 8
Let it sear for 5 minutes or until crispy on the underside, then flip and repeat the searing until both sides are a golden brown. Transfer onto a serving plate.
- 9
Heat up the wok on high heat again and pour 2 tbsp oil in, followed by the butter. Turn the heat down to medium and throw in the onion and garlic. Let it cook for 2 minutes.
- 10
Season the aromatics with the salt, sugar, crushed black pepper and chicken bouillon powder.
- 11
Bring the heat up to high and pour the water in.
- 12
As soon as the sauce boils, add the cooked crabs in and give them a toss until every piece is coated. Let them cook for another 5 minutes or until just cooked.
- 13
Add the long spring onion segments into the sauce to cook for 30 seconds.
- 14
Transfer the cooked crabs and sauce onto the noodles then garnish with the coriander and chopped spring onions.
- 15
Serve immediately as is!