Hed Chef: Pan-fried crab cakes

Are you still reeling from the merry-making and feasting over the long weekend?

Well, there is another weekend of food and fun coming right up.

Give meaty roasts a rest with this seafood indulgence of homemade crab cakes.

I used canned swimmer crab claw for convenience.

If you cannot get Old Bay Seasoning, use a dash of cayenne pepper and a flat teaspoon of cracked pepper.

The most important step is refrigerating the crab mixture for at least an hour and half. This allows it to firm up so you can shape it into patties.

CRAB CAKES

INGREDIENTS

• 1 stalk celery (80g), diced
• 1 red onion (70g), diced
• 5g fresh dill, chopped
• 1 tbsp dried parsley flakes
• 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 4 tbsp mayonnaise
• 100g panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 450g swimmer crab claw
• 1 tsp Wocestershire sauce
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 380ml cooking oil (or enough to 
cover crab cakes halfway)

SOUR CREAM DIP

INGREDIENTS

• 1 red onion (70g), diced
• 1 tbsp capers, coarsely chopped
• 5g fresh dill, chopped
• ½ tsp dried parsley flakes
• 200ml light sour cream
• 1 tsp lemon juice

METHOD (CRAB CAKES)

1. In a clean mixing bowl, place celery and onion.

2. Add dill, parsley flakes, Old Bay Seasoning, salt, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise and panko. (Photo)

3. Mix well and add eggs. Mix well.

4. Gently mix in swimmer crab meat, Worcestershire sauce and lemon 
juice. (Photo)

5. Cover bowl with cling wrap and chill in fridge for 1½ hours.

6. Heat deep frying pan. Pour in oil and put on medium heat.

7. Remove crab mixture from fridge. Take a tablespoon of crab mixture and shape into a patty with a diameter of 5cm and thickness of 1.5cm.

8. Place on frying slice and gently slide it into oil. Turn heat down to low.

9. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until sides begin turning golden brown.

10. Gently turn over and fry for 
1½ minutes until golden brown. (Photo)

11. Fry four to six crab cakes at a time.

12. Remove from pan and place on kitchen paper to drain excess oil.

13. Serve immediately with sour cream dip.

METHOD (SOUR CREAM DIP)

1. Place all ingredients in bowl and mix well.

2. Leave in fridge to chill until ready to serve.

Follow Hedy Khoo (@hedchefhedykhoo) on Instagram for more culinary adventures.