- Sweet and sour sauce
- 1/2 cup [125 mL] drained sliced Chinese pickled vegetables
- 10 thick crab claws [about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds / 680 g to 900 g]
- 1 1/2 pounds [680 g] fresh uncooked medium shrimps
- 6 green onions
- 2 stalks celery
- 2 teaspoons [10 mL] minced pared fresh ginger root
- 2 teaspoons [10 mL] soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons [10 mL] oyster sauce
- 1 cup [250 mL] cornstarch
- 1/2 cup [70 g] all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon [2.5 mL] baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon [2.5 mL] salt
- 2/3 cup [160 mL] water
- 4 cups [1 L] vegetable oil
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 1 cup [250 mL] water
- 1/2 cup [125 mL] white vinegar
- 1/2 cup [100 g] sugar
- 1/4 cup [60 mL] tomato paste
- 4 teaspoons [20 mL] cornstarch
Chinese Pickled Vegetables
Pickling Liquid
- 3 cups [600 g] sugar
- 3 cups [750 mL] white vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups [375 mL] water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons [7.5 mL] salt
Vegetables
- 3 large carrots
- 1 large Chinese white radish [about 1 pound / 454 g]
- 1 large cucumber
- 4 stalks celery
- 8 green onions
- 4 ounces [113 g] fresh ginger root
- 1 large sweet red pepper
- 1 large sweet green pepper
- Hot sterilized jars with lids
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- Prepare Chinese pickled vegetables.
- Prepare sweet and sour sauce.
- Stir Chinese pickled vegetables into sauce; keep warm.
- Carefully remove the shell from the meat end of each crab claw, using kitchen shears, crab or nut cracker.
- If necessary, tap claw gently with a mallet or rolling pin to break the shell [do not hit heavily or crabmeat will be damaged].
- Leave shell on one part of the pincher for holding the crabmeat.
- Remove shells and back veins from shrimps.
- Really finely chop shrimps, green onions and celery, using a cleaver, sharp knife or food proessor.
- Transfer chopped ingredients to a bowl.
- Add minced ginger, soy sauce and oyster sauce; mix well.
- Divide mixture into 10 equal portions [about 1/3-cup / 80-mL each].
- Flatten one portion in the plam of one hand.
- Place meat end of a crab claw on top of flattened shrimp mixture.
- Carefully press shrimp mixture all around carbmeat, leaving shell on pincher uncovered.
- Measure 1/2 cup [125 mL] of the cornstarch into a small bowl.
- Carefully coat each shrimp-wrapped claw with the cornstarch.
- Mix together remaining 1/2 cup [125 mL] cornstarch, flour, baking powder and salt.
- Using a whisk, slowly blend in water beating until smooth.
- Heat oil into a wok over medium-high heat until it reaches 375°F [190°C].
- Carefully dip each claw into batter, coating completely.
- Fry coated claws, a few at a time, into oil until golden and cooked through, for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Leave to drain onto paper toweling.
- Serve, along with sweet and sour sauce.
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Into a small saucepan, mix together water, vinegar, sugar, tomato paste and cornstarch until smooth.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring, until boiling.
- Leave to boil for 1 minute, stirring.
- Keep sauce warm.
Chinese Pickled Vegetables
- Combine all picklling liquid ingredients into a 3-quart [3-L] saucepan.
- Stirring, bring mixture to a boil over medium heat.
- Remove from heat; leave pickling liquid to cool.
- Rinse all vegetables.
- Pare carrots and Chinese radish.
- Cut cucumber lengthwise into quarters and remove seeds.
- Cut carrots, Chinese white radish and cucumber into about 2 inches [5 cm] long 'match stick' thin strips.
- Cut celery into 1/2-inch [1.3-cm] thick diagonal slices.
- Cut green onions into 1/4-inch [1-mm] thick diagonal slices.
- Pare then slice ginger root into thin slices.
- Remove membranes and seed sweet red and green peppers; cut peppers into 1/2-inch [1.3-cm] cubes.
- Fill a 5-quart [5-L] Dutch oven half full with water.
- Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Uncover and add all vegetable pieces.
- Remove from heat immediately.
- Leave vegetables to stand uncovered for 2 minutes.
- Drain vegetables into a large colander.
- Spread out vegetables onto clean towels and allow to dry for 2 to 3 hours.
- Pack vegetables firmly into hot sterilized jars.
- Pour pickling liquid into jars to completely cover vegetables.
- Tightly seal jars.
- Store, refrigerated for at least 1 week, before using.
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