This is one of those odd dishes that are easier to cook than to eat. Blue crabs take a lot of work; but they’re so delicious they’re worth the effort. If you live on the West Coast, you’ll probably use Dungeness crab, which will be easier.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　Salt to taste

　　20 live blue crabs

　　2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry

　　3 scallions, trimmed and roughly chopped

　　3 slices fresh ginger, smashed

　　1 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger

　　2 tablespoons soy sauce

　　2 tablespoons rice, black, or white vinegar

　　1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

　　2 teaspoons sugar

　　Minced scallion for garnish, optional

　　Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish, optional

　　

Step 1

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Boil the crabs for about a minute (you may have to do this in batches), then rinse them in cold water. Combine the wine, scallions, and ginger slices in a large bowl and add the crabs. For the dipping sauce, combine the minced ginger with the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar and stir to blend. Let sit for about 30 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Put about an inch of water in a steamer, wok, or roasting pan. Place the crabs on a plate and put the plate in the steamer or on a rack in a wok or other pan. Cover and bring to a boil, then steam for 5 to 10 minutes, until hot. Garnish the crabs if you like and serve with the dipping sauce.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.