XO Crab Sotanghon

When A-te J bought crabs from the wet market the other day, we had a lively debate on how to cook the crabs...  I wanted the saucy, milky dish like the one at Fuk Yuen.  Hubby wanted the spicy Singaporean-style crab.  Lola wanted just plain steamed crabs.  A-te wanted the dry, stir-fry type.

We ended up with this variation that used X.O. Sauce.

This is really the same recipe as before, with 2 changes - we omitted the pork and added 1 heaping spoon of XO sauce!   The XO Sauce gave the dish a bit of a kick and an enhanced flavor profile.  The omission of the ground pork was good too since the crab flavor was better (no interfering flavor?)

Hubby said this was the best version yet!

Yummmmmmy!

Oyster Sotanghon (Vermicelli)

This is a variation of my usual dry-type sotanghon (soy bean vermicelli).  Oyster is a favorite of ours so whenever we find fresh, big, plump ones, we grab them!

For this, here is recipe:

about 500 grams shucked oysters, drain but reserve the oyster liquor.

1 thumb ginger, sliced thinly
1 large onion, minced finely
1 to 2 stalks of leeks, sliced at a diagonal, white and green parts separated

200 grams boneless chicken breast, sliced into strips
200 grams suahe/fresh shrimp, shelled
100 to 200 grams straw mushrooms (as preferred)
fish tofu, sliced

1 tablespoon glutinous rice wine
2 to 4 tablespoons premium oyster sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 to 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
3/4 cup water or chicken stock, including the reserved oyster liquid, more or less
salt and pepper, to taste

3 bundles of sotanghon, soaked in water to soften, then drained

Saute half the ginger then flash fry the oysters.  Do not overcook!  Remove and set aside.

Add more oil to the pan if necessary and saute the onions and the white part of the leeks until fragrant.  Throw in the chicken slices.  Cook until almost done.  Add the shrimp and straw mushrooms.  Splash with rice wine.  Add the sliced fish tofu.

Season with oyster sauce and soy sauces. Add the liquid (adjust accordingly, sometimes up to 1 cup of liquid is needed so that the dish is not to dry)

When the mixture boils, add in the sotanghon.  Cook until the liquid is absorb (but it is nicer that the sotanghon is still firm). Adjust seasonings according to taste.

Place the oysters on top and garnish with the green part of the leeks.  Serve while hot!  (This is where a ceramic hot pot pan or a stovetop safe glass dish is convenient...)

Fresh scallops can be used instead of oysters.

Not My Usual Crab Sotanghon

The usual crab sotanghon (mung bean noodle) that I cook (and that hubby likes) is a creamy, saucy concoction.  This time, however, circumstances forced me to stray from the usual.  The culprit?  The absence of a crucial ingredient.

The result?  A different, but still delicious, dish!

The recipe:

300 to 400 grams sotanghon, softened
1 kilo crabs, cut up (cleaned)
4 to 5 thin slices of ginger
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, sliced
3 stalks leeks, sliced, white parts separated from green parts
350 grams ground pork
1/4 cup oyster sauce
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1 liter chicken stock
2 egg whites, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon sesame oil
salt, pepper and chili flakes, to taste

Saute the ginger in hot oil.  Add onions, garlic, and the white part of the leeks.  Stir fry a few seconds and add the pork.  Stir fry until almost cooked.  Add the crabs and mix around a few seconds and season with oyster sauce and soy sauce.  Add the chicken stock.  Season with salt and pepper (and chili flakes, if desired).  When the stock boils, add the sotanghon.  Swirl in the beaten egg whites.  Let simmer until the sauce is fully absorbed by the sotanghon.  Toss with sesame oil (adjust seasonings, as needed).  Serve hot, garnished with the green part of the leeks.