Food & Receipts

The Ultimate Guide to Crab Soup: Clear Broth, Delicious Crab Meatballs, a True Taste Sensation

The crab and crab hotpot soup is a tantalizing treat during sweltering summer days. Yet, few possess the culinary prowess to prepare this delicacy to perfection.

Administrator

10 July, 2024

Crab soup and crab hot pot are refreshing, nutritious, and familiar dishes in Vietnamese cuisine. A delicious bowl of crab soup or hot pot consists of large, neatly formed crab patties, clear and sweet broth without any fishy smell or strong pungent odor. Crab soup with pickled cabbage and sour crab hot pot are very popular during the hot summer days.

To cook tasty crab soup, pay attention to the following tips:

How to Choose the Best Crabs

When cooking, crabs with more meat will result in larger and firmer patties that won’t dissolve in the broth. It is recommended to choose female crabs, which are firmer and have more roe, while male crabs tend to have more meat. However, for making crab soup, many people prefer female crabs as they produce larger patties that are also softer in texture compared to male crabs. Look for crabs with intact and firm undershells, free from bubbles or visible offspring, and with a full and non-sunken body—these are signs of good quality.

Proper Crab Preparation for Delicious Soup

Before cooking, clean the crabs thoroughly to remove any mud or dirt attached to their shells and claws. To effectively clean the crabs, place them in water and vigorously shake them to dislodge any dirt. Separate the shells from the bodies, and then rinse the crabs to get rid of the black water, as it can cause an unpleasant odor and taste in the soup. When blending or grinding the crab meat, add a pinch of salt—this helps to enhance the flavor and improve the texture of the patties by causing the protein in the meat to coagulate, resulting in firmer and more distinct patties. It’s important to add the salt during the blending process, but be careful not to overdo it, as you’ll need to adjust the seasoning later. Additionally, the salt helps to preserve the freshness of the crab, especially if you’re buying it from a market.

Separately, strain the crab roe to remove the black water, as this can make the broth cloudy. Adding the roe too early in the cooking process can cause it to dissolve and make the broth murky. Instead, add the roe later, just before serving, or sauté it with onions for extra flavor.

Pay Attention to the Heat

Once you have the crab broth ready, it’s crucial to control the heat while cooking. Start by stirring the broth with a pair of chopsticks in one direction, which helps the crab patties rise to the surface and prevents them from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Begin with a high heat setting, and then reduce to medium to avoid overcooking the broth. When the patties start to float, maintain a gentle simmer to prevent the patties from breaking apart.

To further enhance the clarity of the broth and increase the number of patties, you can try the following trick:

Using Eggs: After stirring the broth, beat an egg and add it to the pot. The egg helps bind the crab patties together and clarifies the broth by coagulating any remaining protein. Some restaurants use tofu to create more patties, but this can make the broth cloudy and less appealing. Using eggs, on the other hand, results in softer and more savory patties.

Once the patties start floating, carefully scoop them out into a bowl to prevent overcooking, which can make them tough and dry. After removing the patties, wait for the broth to boil again before adding the vegetables. Common choices for crab soup include spinach, malabar spinach, and bottle gourd, which don’t require prolonged cooking. Skim off any foam that forms on the surface, and adjust the seasoning to taste.

Sautéing the Crab Roe for Added Flavor

The treatment of the crab roe can vary depending on personal preference.

For a lighter, less oily soup, some people choose to add the crab roe directly to the broth once the patties start to float.

Alternatively, for a more flavorful option, heat some oil in a pan and sauté onions until fragrant. Then, add the crab roe and season with a pinch of salt, stirring to combine. This mixture can be drizzled over the crab patties just before serving.

Frequently asked questions

The key to making delicious crab soup with clear broth and tasty crab meatballs lies in using fresh ingredients and following a few simple techniques. Start by preparing a flavorful broth using crab shells, vegetables, and spices. Cook the crab meatballs separately, combining crab meat with seasonings and forming them into small balls. Finally, assemble the soup by combining the broth, crab meatballs, and your choice of additional ingredients like vegetables or noodles.

To create a clear and flavorful broth for crab soup, start by rinsing the crab shells to remove any debris. Then, boil the shells with water, vegetables such as onions, carrots, and celery, and spices like bay leaves, peppercorns, and parsley. Simmer the broth gently for at least an hour to extract maximum flavor. Finally, strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve to ensure a clear and delicious result.