Stir-fried Crab with Rice Cakes is a classic Jiangsu-Zhejiang home-style dish. The crab meat is sweet and firm, and the rice cakes are chewy and bouncy, absorbing all the crab juices and savory sauce. Shaoxing wine removes the odor and adds aroma, creating a perfect balance of savory and sweet. Every bite of crab and rice cake is incredibly fresh—it’s satisfying enough to be a main dish on its own.
🌴 Ingredients:
· 2-3 crabs (swimming crabs or hairy crabs, cleaned and cut into pieces)
· 200g rice cakes (water-milled or hot pot rice cakes, sliced or cut into strips)
🌴 Aromatics:
· 1 large piece of ginger (about 15g, sliced)
· 1 section of scallion (cut into sections)
· 4-5 cloves of garlic (about 20g, smashed)
🌴 Seasonings:
· 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine (about 30ml, removes odor and adds aroma, richer than regular cooking wine)
· 2 tbsp light soy sauce (about 30ml)
· 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce (about 8ml, for color)
· 1 tbsp oyster sauce (about 15g)
· 1 tsp sugar (about 5g, to enhance flavor)
· A pinch of white pepper powder
· Cornstarch, as needed (to coat the cut sides of the crab and seal in the roe)
· Salt, to taste
· Cooking oil, as needed
🌴 Instructions:
- Prepare the Crab
Scrub the crabs clean, remove the gills and stomach, and cut them into pieces. Coat the cut sides with a thin layer of cornstarch. ⚠️ Note: Coating with cornstarch seals in the crab roe and meat during stir-frying. This is a crucial step. I’ve tried skipping the cornstarch before, and the crab roe leaked out into the pan. - Prepare the Rice Cakes
If using dried rice cakes, soak them in warm water until softened in advance. If using fresh ones, simply separate them. ⚠️ Note: Don’t soak the rice cakes for too long; just until soft. Over-soaking will make them mushy when stir-fried. - Pan-fry the Crab
Heat oil in a pan. Place the crab pieces cut-side down into the pan and pan-fry over medium heat until set and their color changes. Remove and set aside. ⚠️ Note: Frying them cut-side down prevents the crab roe from leaking out. - Sauté the Aromatics
Leave a little oil in the pan, add the ginger slices, scallion sections, and garlic, and stir-fry over low heat until fragrant. ⚠️ Note: Don’t burn them. - Stir-fry the Rice Cakes
Turn to high heat, add the rice cakes, and stir-fry quickly for 1 minute. Add 2 tbsp (30ml) light soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp (8ml) dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp (15g) oyster sauce, and 1 tsp (5g) sugar. Stir-fry to combine. ⚠️ Note: Rice cakes stick easily, so work quickly. You can add a little hot water to prevent sticking. - Combine and Simmer
Add the pan-fried crab and drizzle 2 tbsp (30ml) of Shaoxing wine around the edge of the pan. Stir-fry quickly over high heat to combine. Add enough hot water to reach halfway up the ingredients, spread the rice cakes on the bottom, cover, and simmer over medium heat for 2-3 minutes to let the rice cakes absorb the crab flavor. ⚠️ Note: Always use hot water; cold water will toughen the crab meat. Don’t stir while simmering so the rice cakes stay intact. - Reduce and Serve
Uncover, turn to high heat to reduce the sauce, sprinkle with white pepper and salt to taste, and stir-fry quickly. Turn off the heat, plate the dish, and serve hot. The crab is sweet, the rice cakes are chewy, and the sauce is rich and savory.
💡 More Delicious Recipes:
If you enjoy this sweet and savory seafood dish, you should also try my [Stir-fried Swimming Crab with Ginger and Scallion] for a classic fresh flavor, or my [Garlic Shrimp with Vermicelli] for a savory and impressive meal.
Want to explore more easy-to-make dishes? Check out my full [Seafood] category!
💡 Tips:
Always coat the cut sides of the crab with cornstarch to seal in the roe and meat. Don’t soak the rice cakes for too long; just until soft. Pan-fry the crab cut-side down to prevent the roe from leaking. Don’t stir the rice cakes while simmering to keep them intact. Shaoxing wine is the soul of removing odors and adding aroma—it’s richer than regular cooking wine. Add salt at the very end to keep the crab meat fresh.
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