Sautéed Soft-Shell Crab Sandwiches With Pickled Vegetables, Cilantro, and Ginger-Chili Mayo Recipe

By
Daniel Gritzer
Daniel Gritzer
Daniel Gritzer
Senior Culinary Director
Daniel joined the Serious Eats culinary team in 2014 and writes recipes, equipment reviews, articles on cooking techniques. Prior to that he was a food editor at Food & Wine magazine, and the staff writer for Time Out New York's restaurant and bars section.
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Updated Aug. 29, 2018
20140522-soft-shell-crab-sandwich-pickled-veg.jpg
Each of these large banh mi-style sandwiches is packed with three crispy soft-shell crabs. . Daniel Gritzer

Inspired by both the Cantonese dish of crabs sautéed with scallions and ginger, and Vietnamese banh mi, these oversized soft-shell crab sandwiches feature lightly toasted soft baguettes packed with three crisp sautéed soft-shell crabs each, along with ginger-chili mayo, quick-pickled carrots and cucumbers, fresh scallions, and cilantro.

Why this recipe works:

  • Dredging the crabs in cornstarch and sautéeing them in neutral oil results in crabs with a crisp, shattering shell and clean flavor.
  • Quick-pickling the carrots and cucumbers in seasoned rice vinegar adds just enough tang while not requiring a lengthy pickling time.

Note: While the pickles are ready in just 25 minutes, they can also be refrigerated overnight before using.

Recipe Details

Sautéed Soft-Shell Crab Sandwiches With Pickled Vegetables, Cilantro, and Ginger-Chili Mayo Recipe

Active 20 mins
Total 30 mins
Serves 2 to 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into fine matchsticks
  • 1 medium cucumber, seeds removed, split lengthwise into 1/4-inch spears
  • 1/2 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons sambal oelek, Sriracha, or other chili paste
  • 1 (1-inch) piece fresh peeled ginger, finely grated on microplane
  • 1 medium garlic clove, finely grated on microplane
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 6 large soft-shell crabs, preferably jumbo or "whale" size, cleaned
  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 Vietnamese-style baguettes, split and lightly toasted, or 1 French baguette, halved, split, and lightly toasted
  • 2 scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced lengthwise
  • Cilantro leaves and fine stems from 1 bunch, for serving

Directions

  1. Combine carrot, cucumber, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Using fingertips, massage salt and sugar into vegetables until dissolved. Add rice vinegar and water and let stand for at least 25 minutes.

  2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, thoroughly mix together mayonnaise, chili paste, ginger, and garlic. Season with salt.

  3. In a shallow bowl, stir together cornstarch with a pinch of salt. Lightly dredge crabs in the seasoned cornstarch.

  4. In a large, wide skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add crabs, shell-side down, and cook until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes; be careful, as soft-shell crabs sometimes pop in the pan. Flip crabs and cook until golden and crisp on bottom side, about 3 minutes. Transfer crabs to paper-towel-lined plates.

  5. Drain carrot and cucumber. Spread top and bottom halves of baguettes with ginger-chili mayonnaise. Arrange 3 crabs on each of the bottom halves and top with scallions and pickled carrot and cucumber. Top with cilantro sprigs, close sandwiches, and serve immediately.

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