Savory Soy Marinated Crabs: The Ultimate “Rice Thief” Recipe
Homemade Ganjang Gejang (Soy Marinated Raw Crabs): A Perfect Guide
Known as a “rice thief” for a good reason, a single serving of perfectly made Ganjang Gejang can make you finish a bowl of rice in no time, without needing any other side dishes! Using fresh female crabs and a secret soy sauce blend, this recipe will bring the best of this delicacy right to your home table.
Main Ingredients- 1kg Fresh Female Crabs
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Thoroughly clean the fresh female crabs using a brush, scrubbing between the shell and legs to remove any dirt. Rinse them multiple times under running water. Lightly pat them dry and arrange them in a container with their bellies facing upwards. Gently tapping the crabs can help subdue them, making them easier to handle.
Step 2
Prepare the Soy Marinade: In a large pot, combine 1 cup of soy sauce with 5 cups of water. If you prefer a less salty marinade, you can increase the water ratio. A common starting ratio is 1 part soy sauce to 5 parts water, but feel free to adjust to your taste.
Step 3
Wash all the ingredients for the marinade thoroughly. Slice the garlic and ginger thinly. Cut the apple and onion into large chunks. Slice the green and red chilies diagonally for aromatic flavor. Add all the prepared vegetables, medicinal herbs (Huang Qi, Acanthopanax Root, Angelica Gigas), dried shiitake mushrooms, bay leaves, and whole peppercorns to the soy sauce mixture.
Step 4
Bring the soy sauce mixture with all the ingredients to a rolling boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Then, turn off the heat and let the marinade cool down completely. It’s crucial to cool the marinade entirely before pouring it over the crabs; pouring hot marinade will cook the crab meat.
Step 5
Once the marinade has completely cooled, strain it through a sieve to remove all the solid ingredients, keeping only the clear soy liquid. Pour this seasoned liquid over the prepared crabs in your container, ensuring the crabs are fully submerged. Using an airtight container or a kimchi jar is recommended for best results.
Step 6
First Maturation and Marinade Recycling: Place the container with the crabs and marinade in the refrigerator for about 1.5 to 2 days to marinate. After the initial marination, carefully remove the crabs to a separate bowl. Pour the remaining marinade back into a pot and bring it to a rolling boil again. Let this boiled marinade cool down completely, then pour it back over the crabs. Repeating this boiling and cooling process 1-2 more times will result in an even deeper and richer flavor. (Generally, this is repeated twice.)
