Steamed Shanghai-Style Crab with Ginger and Scallion

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-09 · Updated 2026-05-09

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

Fresh whole crab steamed with aromatic ginger and scallions, enhanced by a delicate soy dipping sauce, showcasing a classic Shanghainese seafood preparation. This Chinese-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 25 minutes, pairs live hairy crab or fresh whole crab, fresh ginger, julienned, scallions, julienned for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 2, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 10 min Cook: 15 min Serves 2 Chinese cuisine 280 cal/serving

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Ingredients

1.5 lbs live hairy crab or fresh whole crab
2 tbsp fresh ginger, julienned
3 tbsp scallions, julienned
2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
3 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tsp sesame oil

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Instructions

Step 1: Clean and prepare 1.5 lbs fresh whole crab by rinsing under cold water and removing the gills. Cut the crab into quarters for easier steaming.
Step 2: Arrange the crab pieces in a heatproof dish suitable for steaming. Scatter 2 tbsp julienned fresh ginger and 3 tbsp julienned scallions evenly over the crab.
Step 3: Drizzle 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine over the crab. Place the dish in a steamer over boiling water, cover, and steam for 12-15 minutes until the crab meat is opaque and cooked through.
Step 4: While steaming, combine 3 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 1/4 cup water, and 1 tsp sesame oil in a small saucepan. Heat gently until sugar dissolves and sauce is warm.
Step 5: Remove crab from steamer and serve immediately with the warm soy dipping sauce on the side.