Asian Style Crab Cakes

Everyone has their favourite crab cake recipe. Here’s mine! They are divine!  Because it’s on the pricey side, we tend to make them when we want a special treat. It would be nice to have friends who go crabbing is all I can say!  I used Panko crumbs to coat the crab cakes last time I made them, it worked exceptionally well.  I may not go back to using a breadcrumb coating!

Makes Approximately 20 Cakes

16 oz.  crabmeat, picked over
½ cup light mayo
¼ cup minced green onions
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tsp. minced or 1 tsp. finely grated fresh gingerroot
¼ tsp. Tabasco or Sriracha sauce
¼ tsp. each salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup fine dry bread crumbs**
(3/4 cup for coating the cakes (or Panko) & ¼ cup to add to the crab)
Vegetable oil for frying the crab cakes

Sauce for crab cakes:

1/3 cup plum sauce (I prefer Lee Kum Kee brand)
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon or lime juice
½ tsp. Chinese chili sauce
1 clove garlic, minced

Combine ingredients and place in the fridge until ready to serve the crab cakes.  Use the sauce as a dip for the  crab cakes.

Make the crab cakes:

Flake the crab in a bowl, checking for bits of cartliage & shell. Mix with the mayo, green onions, cilantro, lime juice, ginger, Tabasco, salt & pepper. Stir in the ¼ cup breadcrumbs. In a non-stick frying pan or electric pan, heat approximately 2 Tbsp. oil over medium heat. Shape the crab mixture into 20 patties. Dip each into the beaten eggs; then coat with the breadcrumbs. Place onto a wax paper lined rimmed baking sheet. Depending on how many will fit in your pan, cook the cakes without crowding, for 2 minutes per side, or until golden. Remove to a paper towel lined rimmed baking sheet & keep warm in a 200F oven while cooking the remaining cakes. Serve hot with the sauce.

Note: In a pinch I have browned the cakes and let them cool for no more than an hour at room temperature, then reheated them in a 350F oven until very warm.

Too make breadcrumbs, click How To Make Breadcrumbs.

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