Soft-Shell Crabs ''Namban''

Ingredients

• 1 cup sake
• 2 cups ponzu (Japanese citrus sauce)
• 1 ½ cups light soy sauce
• ½ ounce fresh ginger, cut in julienne
• 1 jalapeno chili, left whole
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and left whole
• 12 soft-shell crabs, cleaned
• About 1/4 cup of sesame oil
• About 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• Flour for dredging
• 1 large red onion, thinly sliced

Optional:

• 2 to 3 tablespoons flying fish roe to garnish

4 servings

Preparation

1. Make the marinade. Combine sake, ponzu, soy sauce, ginger, chili and garlic.
2. Dry the crabs. Heat the oils to 180 degrees in a large skillet or wok. Dredge the crabs with a minimum amount of flour. Saute in the oil for two to three minutes on each side.
3. Put the crabs and red onion in the marinade and let them sit for one to two hours. To serve, remove the crabs from the marinade, quarter them and if you like, place the flying fish roe on top to garnish.

• Namban” is the Japanese word for Portuguese influence.

1 to 2 hours unattended