Absolutely crab-ulous: Hong Kong nutritionist’s recipe for healthier, home-made typhoon shelter crab

It used to be a humble dish eaten by fishermen on boats during typhoons. Now, it can be found in many restaurants along Wan Chai’s Jaffe Road. It is popular for family dinners. People often pair it with steamed rice and vegetables to make a well-rounded meal.

Kathy Ng Yiu-fan from Kat-Spirit Nutrition Centre in Hong Kong said the ideal serving size is around half to one crab per person.

“Smaller crabs that weigh less than 1kg can be eaten whole. For larger crabs, half a crab per person is sufficient,” she said.

One typical serving of typhoon shelter crab for a family of three – about 2.3kg – contains 3,459 calories, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 14 grams of protein and 374 grams of fat.

There are some health benefits to eating this dish. Ng said the protein-rich crabmeat helps muscle growth and repair. It contains essential minerals like zinc and selenium. These boost the immune system, which helps your body fight infections.

She said: “The sauce, packed with ingredients like fermented black beans, garlic and chilli, provides antioxidants that help protect cells from damage.”

The senior nutritionist noted that more health-conscious people might prefer to skip this dish because it is deep-fried. Though they may be delicious, the oils used in stir-frying or deep-frying also add fat.

“The cooking method affects its nutritional value. Some would rather steam or boil the crustaceans instead,” she said.

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Ng recommended steaming as the healthiest cooking method for crab. It preserves nutrients without adding extra oil or flavour. Boiling is a good alternative as well. However, it may cause some water-soluble vitamins to drain out.

The nutritional content of 100 grams of steamed or boiled crab is about 102 calories, 1.8 grams of fat, 20.2 grams of protein and 0 carbohydrates.

Regardless of the cooking method, people with shellfish allergies, high cholesterol and gout should avoid eating crab.

“Otherwise, eating typhoon shelter crab can be quite a communal experience as family members gather to break open the crispy shells, fostering a sense of togetherness,” she said.

“It is even more meaningful if you can spare some time to prepare this dish with your loved ones.”

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 250ml vegetable oil

• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

• 1.5kg blue swimmer crabs, cleaned and roughly chopped into pieces

• 30g finely chopped ginger

• 1 tbsp fermented black beans, roughly chopped

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp sugar

• 1 spring onion, cut into 5cm pieces

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a wok or large pot over low-medium heat to about 140 degrees Celsius. Add the chopped garlic and stir constantly to prevent it from sticking. Cook the garlic until it turns light brown.

2. Strain the garlic from the oil, which should be kept in a heatproof bowl. Place the garlic on a paper towel to dry.

3. Heat the garlic-infused oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Fry the crab pieces in batches for 4-5 minutes or until the shells turn bright red. Be careful; the hot oil may splatter.

4. Remove the fried crab and place it on paper towels. Strain the remaining oil into a heatproof bowl and set aside.

5. After cleaning the wok, heat it up again. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil you set aside earlier. Stir-fry the ginger for 2-3 minutes until it turns golden brown.

6. Add the chilli peppers and fermented black beans. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Return the crab to the wok with the fried garlic, salt and sugar. Toss and cook for 1 minute. Finally, add the spring onions. Transfer the dish to a serving bowl.

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