This dish was inspired by Korean cooking, which is extremely popular in Japan. With a hearty and spicy broth, it’s perfect for wintertime, when crabs are at their peak flavor. I like to serve this dish in individual Asian hot pot dishes, but you can also combine this recipe into one big pot and ladle into bowls. If you’re using live crabs, be sure to remove the head, gills, and tough outer shells before cooking.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil

　　4 blue crabs, cleaned and quartered (frozen or live)

　　2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

　　5 cups Dashi (page 40)

　　2 tablespoons sake

　　2 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce

　　1 cup roughly chopped kimchi

　　1/4 cup red or brown miso

　　1 teaspoon kosher salt

　　8 ounces dried harusame (mung bean thread noodles)

　　2 ounces (1 cup) shungiku (chrysanthemum leaves), ends trimmed

　　2 scallions, both white and green parts, thinly sliced on an angle

　　

Step 1

Place a pot over high heat and add the sesame oil. After 1 minute, add the crabs and cook until they turn bright red-orange, about 3 minutes. Then stir in the garlic and cook until it begins to turn light brown, about 30 seconds more.

　　

Step 2

Add the dashi and bring just to a boil. Decrease the heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Skim the surface of the liquid if necessary to remove any scum produced by the crabs.

　　

Step 3

Stir in the sake, soy sauce, kimchi, miso paste, and salt, and simmer for 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm until ready to serve.

　　

Step 4

Place a pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the noodles and cook, following package directions. Rinse well under cold running water and drain. Lay the noodles in a loose pile on a cutting board and cut into quarters.

　　

Step 5

Fill each of 4 small Asian hot pot dishes or cassoulet dishes with the noodles and set them over high heat. Divide the crab and broth among the hot pots and cover. Bring the broth to a boil, about 3 minutes, then add the shungiku. Cover again and cook until the shungiku just becomes tender, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Garnish with the scallions and serve hot.

　　Takashi's Noodles