Chả cua is a steamed crab meat dish: crab and minced pork mixed with glass noodles, wood ear mushroom and egg yolk, then steamed in a mould. A last layer of beaten yolk goes on top for the final minutes of steaming. Once it has cooled, you cut it into small pieces and eat it with noodle soup, or with plain rice and a dish of fish sauce. The method itself is simple. Time: 30–40 minutes of steaming, then another 15 minutes with the yolk topping. Let it cool before slicing. Ingredients 200 g crab meat 300 g pork, half lean and half fat 20 g dried glass noodles (Chinese vermicelli) 5 jelly ear mushrooms (wood ear) 3 egg yolks 1 tablespoon tapioca starch 5 cloves purple onion (shallot) and 5 cloves garlic 1 teaspoon sesame oil for the filling, plus 1 tablespoon for the topping 1 teaspoon oyster sauce Salt, sugar and pepper MSG (optional) Cilantro Spring onion, sliced Soy sauce Chilli Vegetable oil, for the mould A round mould, 20 cm across How to make chả cua 1. Prepare everything Crab meat: go through it again to make sure no bits of shell are left in. Pork: wash it and mince it. Glass noodles: soak in cold water for 5–10 minutes, then cut into 1 cm lengths. Jelly ear: soak in cold water for 5–10 minutes, cut off the root and slice thinly. Shallots and garlic: peel and mince. Cilantro: wash and slice small. Take care when you cook this dish. 2. Mix the filling Put the crab meat, pork, glass noodles, wood ear, shallots and garlic in a large bowl. Add 2 of the egg yolks, pepper, salt, sugar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon oyster sauce and 1 tablespoon tapioca starch. Stir until everything is well combined. 3. Steam Brush a little oil over the bottom of the mould and put the mixture into it. Steam over medium heat for 30–40 minutes with the lid on. 4. Add the yolk topping Beat the last egg yolk with pepper, salt, 1 tablespoon sesame oil and the sliced spring onion. Pour it over the top of the steamed chả. Steam for another 15 minutes, this time without the lid, then turn off the heat. If you like it spicy, scatter some sliced chilli over the top as well. 5. Slice and serve Let the chả cool, then cut it into small pieces. Serve it with noodle soup, or with rice and fish sauce with sliced chilli stirred in. Share:
