Stir-fry with crab, ginger and green onions

Ingredients:

• 2 large Dungeness crabs, about 1.1 kg each, peeled
• 2 bunches green onions, trimmed (about 10 onions)
• 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1.5 tsp sugar
• 0.5 tsp ground white pepper
• 1/4 cup + 1.5 tsp cornstarch
• 3 tbsp canola oil + extra for frying (about 3 tbsp)
• 5 medium cloves garlic, crushed
• Ginger root 12 cm, cut into 0.5 cm thick slices.
• 2 tbsp. l. shaoxing wine
• Steamed white rice, for serving

Preparation:

1. Remove the crab shells. Halve each crab body and cut each half in half. Using a meat mallet or the back of a chef's knife, gently crack the claws. Transfer the crab body pieces to a colander set over a large bowl. Set the crab shells and claws on a plate.
2. Separate the white parts of the green onions from the greens. Slice the onions lengthwise and cut into 5 cm (2 in) pieces. Place in a small bowl. Chop the remaining greens into 5 cm (2 in) pieces and place in another small bowl.
3. Prepare the sauce:
   
   In a medium bowl, combine oyster sauce, sugar, white pepper, and 1/2 cup water. Set aside.
4. Shake off excess liquid from the crab pieces in a colander over the sink. Set the large bowl aside. Transfer half of the crab pieces to a large plate and set aside.
5. Sprinkle the crab pieces in a colander with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and toss to coat completely. Place the colander over the same large bowl. Don't mix the remaining crab pieces with the cornstarch until the first batch is fried, to prevent the cornstarch from becoming too thick.
6. Fill a wok or large skillet a little less than halfway (about 7 cm) with canola oil and heat over high heat until shimmering. Carefully add the starch-coated crab to the oil. Cook until the legs turn orange and the cornstarch coating is translucent, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, transfer the remaining crab pieces from the plate to a colander. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, toss to coat, and set aside. Wash your hands, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the fried crab pieces to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining crab.
7. Drain most of the oil from the wok, reserving only 3 tablespoons, and reduce the heat to medium-high. Add the garlic, ginger, and white parts of the green onions. Gently stir-fry until the garlic and ginger are golden brown and the onions are soft, 2-3 minutes. Add the crab claws and all the crab pieces and stir with a wooden or metal spoon.
8. Add the Shaoxing wine and cook until slightly reduced, about 15 seconds. Add the oyster sauce mixture, green onions, and 0.5 cups of water. Stir again to evenly distribute the ingredients. Place the crab shells, hard side up, in the wok and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the crabs are bright orange and cooked through, about 8 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1.5 teaspoons of cornstarch in a small bowl with 1.5 teaspoons of water. Remove the lid and drizzle the crab with this mixture. Stir again, increase the heat, and bring to a full boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.
10. Transfer to a platter and serve with white rice.
    
    Note
    
    You can ask the fish department at the supermarket to clean the crabs when you buy them.
    
    If using frozen crab, thaw in a colander, drain thoroughly and pat dry before coating with cornstarch.
    
    If you can't find Dungeness crabs, use 8 medium peeled blue crabs and reduce the cooking time by 3-4 minutes. The blue crabs will be a brick-red color when done.