Vietnamese version (bản tiếng Việt): click here!
I’m backkkk after the week of finals!
As stated in previous post about Crab rangoons, the remaining 3oz of canned crab would be used to make “Stir-fry crab vermicelli”. This dish does sound a little “fancy”… at least in my home country, where I can only find it in seafood restaurants. And I rarely had it during my time in my home country. However, the taste is still embed in my mind, so I wanted to re-create it… with a little help from the canned crab, the crab paste and the chili oil. The crab paste and the chili oil, which can be found in any grocery store, helps enhance the taste and give a nice color. In case the chili oil was spicy to one’s taste (for example, my boyfriend), annatto oil can be an alternative. In fact, the annatto oil gives the vermicelli a brighter color, to the yellow side, while the chili oil gives a more orange/red look, and they both suite the dish.
Unfortunately, I haven’t figured out a way to make a vegetarian (or vegan) version of this recipe. I’m sorry for that…
Ingredients: (for 1 servings)
- Canned crab: 3 oz
- Shiitake mushroom (dry or fresh): 2 whole mushrooms (optional)
- Mung bean vermicelli: 80-100 g
- Vegetable oil: 1 tablespoon
- Chili oil: 1/2 teaspoon (can be replaced with annatto oil)
- Crab paste: 1/2 teaspoon
- Fish sauce: 2 teaspoons
- Sugar: 2 teaspoons
- Black pepper: 1/4 teaspoon
- Spring onion, cilantro and sesame oil as garnish
Preparation:
- Rehydrate the dried mushrooms by soaking them in copious amount of water for at least 30 minutes. While waiting for the mushroom, finely chop the garlic and shallot. If you want to use any vegetables, carrots and onions are good options, and they should be julienned in this step.
- Soak the dried vermicelli in hot water for 5 minutes (by pouring boiling water over). Check if the vermicelli is soften, then drain and rinse it with cold water. (This step can also be done while rehydrating the mushrooms)
- When the mushrooms are fully rehydrated, squeeze to remove excess water then julienne them.
- Pre-heat a medium pan or pot at medium heat and when the pan is hot, add the vegetable oil (or annatto oil). When the oil gets hot, add the chopped garlic and shallot to the pan, and stir until fragrant.
- Add the canned crab and stir gently for 3 minutes. Even when the canned crab is cooked, stir-fry the crab gently with garlic and shallot helps reduce the fishy smell and still keep the shape of the crab meat.
- Add the julienned mushroom and continue to stir gently for 5 minutes so that the mushrooms are cooked.
- In a small bowl, mix the fish sauce and sugar until homogeneous then add to the pan, together with the crab paste and some black pepper. Continue stirring gently for 3 minutes.
- Add the vermicelli to the pan, mix well so that the vermicelli absorbs the seasoning. Turn off the heat and transfer the stir-fry vermicelli (with crab and mushroom, of course!) to a serving plate. Top with fresh cilantro, spring onions and sesame oil (just a little bit) then… enjoy!
Total time: 45 minutes
And that’s it for this “fancy” recipe! Hope y’all enjoy then!
Stir-fry crab vermicelli
Ingredients
- 3 oz Canned crab
- 2 whole Shiitake mushroom (dry or fresh) (optional)
- 80 – 100 grams Vietnamese mung bean vermicelli
- 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
- ½ tsp Chili oil (can be replaced with annatto oil)
- ½ tsp Crab paste
- 2 tsp Fish sauce
- 2 tsp Sugar
- ¼ tsp Black pepper
- Spring onion, cilantro and sesame oil as garnish
Instructions
- Rehydrate the dried mushrooms by soaking them in copious amount of water for at least 30 minutes. While waiting for the mushroom, finely chop the garlic and shallot. If you want to use any vegetables, carrots and onions are good options, and they should be julienned in this step. (You can skip this step if you have fresh mushrooms)
- Soak the dried vermicelli in hot water for 5 minutes (by pouring boiling water over). Check if the vermicelli is soften, then drain and rinse it with cold water. (This step can also be done while rehydrating the mushrooms)
- When the mushrooms are fully rehydrated, squeeze to remove excess water then julienne them.
- Pre-heat a medium pan or pot at medium heat and when the pan is hot, add the vegetable oil (or annatto oil). When the oil gets hot, add the chopped garlic and shallot to the pan, and stir until fragrant.
- Add the canned crab and stir gently for 3 minutes. Even when the canned crab is cooked, stir-fry the crab gently with garlic and shallot helps reduce the fishy smell and still keep the shape of the crab meat.
- Add the julienned mushroom and continue to stir gently for 5 minutes so that the mushrooms are cooked.
- In a small bowl, mix the fish sauce and sugar until homogeneous then add to the pan, together with the crab paste and some black pepper. Continue stirring gently for 3 minutes.
- Add the vermicelli to the pan, mix well so that the vermicelli absorbs the seasoning. Turn off the heat and transfer the stir-fry vermicelli (with crab and mushroom, of course!) to a serving plate. Top with fresh cilantro, spring onions and sesame oil (just a little bit) then… enjoy!
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