Tempura Soft Shell Crab Bao

SAVORY

Nov 18

Lump Crab, Dijon Aïoli, Aged Cheddar

Chef Steve Chu of Ekiben | Baltimore
Yield: 3 to 4 sandwiches

“This sandwich is a symphony of textures: the crunchy soft-shell crab topped with velvety, sweet jumbo lump crab and the soft and fluffy bao bun. It’s based off of an idea my business partner Ephrem threw at me. We were experimenting with soft shells and he said, “Yo dude, wouldn’t it be great if we threw crabmeat on top of the soft shells?” With a little help of THC and the Chesapeake Bay, this sandwich was born.” – Steve Chu

INGREDIENTS

Bao Buns:
1 tablespoon yeast
6 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons milk powder
300 grams all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting
Salt
1 tablespoon baking soda

Lump Crab:
2 cups aïoli
¼ Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 pound jumbo lump crab meat

Spice Mix:
100 grams salt
20 grams ground white pepper
20 grams ground five spice
20 grams ground Szechuan peppercorn
20 grams sugar

To Assemble and Serve:
Oil for deep frying
¼ cup cornstarch, plus additional as needed
¼ cup rice flour
2 tablespoons fine cornmeal
¼ cup soda water, plus additional as needed
3 to 4 live soft shell crabs, cleaned
Thinly sliced aged cheddar

METHOD

For the Bao Buns:
In a small bowl, combine yeast, sugar, and 150 to 180 grams water. After 10 minutes, when the yeast is activated and bubbles have risen to top, the mixture is ready to use. In a medium bowl, combine milk powder and flour and season with salt. Gradually add yeast mixture to dry ingredients, kneading until dough forms. The dough will be quite sticky and soft. Cover, and let dough rise for 1 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size. Onto a clean surface, turn out dough and knead, incorporating the baking soda. Knead dough until smooth, about 5 minutes. Halve dough and roll into 2 thin logs. Cut logs into 3-inch segments and set on parchment paper; proof overnight.

For the Lump Crab:
In a bowl, whisk to combine aïoli, Dijon, shallots, and Worcestershire. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in lump crab. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.

For the Spice Mix:
In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

To Assemble and Serve:
Heat fryer or deep pot with oil to 375°F. Prepare a wok for steaming or set up a basket steamer. Heat broiler on high flame. In a medium bowl, combine cornstarch, rice flour, and cornmeal. Add soda, mixing until tempura batter is consistency of a crepe batter, adding more starch or soda water as necessary. Place raw Baos in steamer and steam 20 to 30 minutes, depending on size. Dip crabs in batter and fry 2 to 3 minutes; drain. Season tempura crab with Spice Mix. On a sizzle platter, place 8 ounces Lump Crab, cover with cheddar, and broil until cheese melts. To a champion tray, add steamed Bao Bun. Place tempura crab in the Bao and top with the broiled crab and cheese. Serve with a can of Natty Boh.

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