Korean Spring Blue Crab Stew

Name: Korean Spring Blue Crab Stew
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: Blue crab 600 g; Korean radish 150 g; Zucchini 80 g; Onion 70 g; Cheongyang chili 2 pcs; Green onion 0.5 ea; Korean chili flakes 1.5 tbsp; Doenjang 0.5 tbsp; Minced garlic 1 tbsp; Water 900 ml

Quick answer

Total time: 45 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 10

About this dish

Blue crabs in spring are packed with meat and taste noticeably sweet.

Here they are halved and simmered in their shells with chili flakes and Cheongyang peppers, and the closer to live the crabs are when they go in, the more of that sweetness comes through.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmount

Cheongyang chili2 pcs

Green onion½ ea

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Instructions

6 steps

1

Scrub 600g of blue crab under running water with a brush, especially around the legs and shell joints.

Remove the apron and gills, cut the bodies in half, and let excess water drain before cooking.
2

Slice 150g of Korean radish thinly so it softens quickly, and cut 80g of zucchini into 0.5cm pieces.

Slice the onion, green onion, and 2 Cheongyang chilies before the pot starts boiling.
3

Put 900ml of water, the radish, and 0.5 tablespoon of doenjang in a pot, then dissolve the paste fully.

Bring it to a strong boil over high heat and cook about 7 minutes until the radish looks partly translucent.
4

Add the prepared crab, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, and 1.5 tablespoons of gochugaru.

When the broth returns to a boil, lower to medium heat and simmer 10 minutes, until the shells turn red and the broth smells rich.
5

Add the zucchini, onion, and Cheongyang chilies, then simmer 6 more minutes.

Once the zucchini edges soften, stir gently and only as needed so the crab meat does not break apart in the broth.
6

Add 0.5 stalk of sliced green onion and simmer for 2 minutes to finish the aroma.

Skim off surface foam, check that the broth is not too salty or harsh, and serve the stew while hot.