Ginger-Scallion Crab

It's almost Chinese New Year, and I'm missing out on the festivities in Honolulu!  Waaaahhhh!  I've gone every year for nearly a decade!  Unfortunately, the timing this year just didn't fit in.  We just had too much to do.  Mr. Dependable shirked parental duties last weekend, and D1 had an appointment with the allergist which was supposed to happen this past weekend.  When you live in a small town, there aren't too many specialists.  We waited over 2 months for the allergist appointment, and on Thursday, the allergist's office called to postpone the appointment another 2 months.  That did it for me!  We now have an appointment in Honolulu with a different doctor, with HMSA footing part of the airfare.

I'm bummed because this means we really could have gone to Honolulu for the Chinese New Year celebration.  The Help pointed out that this past weekend would have been an awful time to be in Honolulu anyway. . .its NFL Pro Bowl weekend.  That translates into  difficulty finding a well-priced hotel room and car.  Oh well . . . maybe next year.  I guess.

For some reason, its been crazy at work too.  D1 has an internship at the medical center lab.  She spends two hours there on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  She loves it.  I don't think I could handle what she does.  She isn't as squeamish as I am.  I drive her up to the hospital during my lunch break.  Of course I have indigestion on those days from eating so fast.  D1 eats a peanut butter sandwich on the drive. . .peanut butter sandwich is made by both me and The Help.  I make it the way I would make my own sandwich then The Help goes over it to make it like the way he'd make it.  D1 likes the way The Help makes it.  I wonder why.

I finally got off my ass this weekend and made some gao.  I made 2 batches.  I dropped one cake off at JoFer's house on Saturday, and I'm bringing 2 cakes to work tomorrow.  The gao list keeps growing so it's likely I'll be making more next weekend.  I need to be sure I have enough wong tong and mochiko.  Actually, for gao, I prefer to use the Thai glutinous rice flour.  It comes in a clear plastic bag with green writing (the red and blue designs are different kind of rice flour).  The end product is much smoother than what you get when you use mochiko (white box).

Missing out on Chinese New Year has made me ono for Chinese food, and I tried to compensate by cooking Chinese food as often as I could.  On Monday we had Hong Kong Chicken.  On Tuesday we had sweet sour spareribs.  Wednesday was leftovers.  Thursday was our first free night (no basketball game) so we took Kikukat Dad out to celebrate his birthday.  D2 suggested Japanese food as a break from all the Chinese food we've been having.  On Friday, after the Ds left with Mr. Dependable, I made this crab for me and The Help.

The Help claims not to be big on seafood.  He doesn't eat any of the bony fish (e.g., kole, menpachi, aholehole, etc.).  And he says he is not big on oysters, mussels, and lobster either.  But Ginger-Scallion Crab is an exception.  The Help loves this.  You know it's good when you can hear all the lip-smacking and finger-licking (sorry Brucie. . .I'm sure you must be cringing now).

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Ginger-Scallion Crab

     2 dungeness crabs

     2 tbsp oil

     1 tsp sesame oil

     2" piece of ginger, julienned

     1 bell pepper, slivered

     1 tbsp sugar

     2 tbsp shoyu

     2 tbsp oyster sauce

     1 tsp chicken powder

     2 tbsp cornstarch

     1/2 c water

     green onion, chopped

     cilantro, chopped

Combine shoyu, oyster sauce, sugar, and chicken powder.  Set aside.  Combine cornstarch and water.  Set aside.  Heat oils in a wok.  Stir fry ginger and bell pepper.  Add crab and toss with ginger and bell pepper.  Add shoyu mixture.  Cover and cook for 3 minutes.  Add cornstarch mixture and cook until thick.  Place in serving dish and garnish with green onions and cilantro.