Izakaya Sakura Dungeness Crab With Ponzu Dip

1. 1

   Boil water in a large saucepan; add salt and sake. Use as much water as possible and keep the salt concentration at 3% so that it is similar to seawater.

2. 2

   Clean the live Dungeness crab under running water by using a scrubbing brush or tawashi. Let the crab hold some wooden chopsticks, since it may pinch you otherwise.

3. 3

   Put the crab in the boiling water. After the water returns to a boil, let it cook for 12 minutes. Do not overcook.

4. 4

   Take out the crab and cool down under running water.

5. 5

   Take off legs. Make a cut line on leg shells and place on serving plate.

6. 6

   Remove the carapace from the body. You may stick your thumb into the hole between the body and the carapace at the back of the crab, then remove gently.

7. 7

   Remove and discard the spongy, inedible gills from the side of the body and the black guts from the middle of the body.

8. 8

   Fold the crab in half to crack the body into two parts. Use chopsticks or a crab fork and take off the white meat that forms in clusters divided by thin sections of shell.

9. 9

   Place the meat in a small serving bowl. Serve with ponzu dipping sauce.

No additional tips available.