This delightful Asian Crab Salad with a Fresh Coriander Dressing is the perfect dish to serve as a light lunch, or as a starter for a dinner party.
The cool sweet meat, the slightly bitter greens and the sharp, yet balanced dressing come together to light up the dullest and most uninspired of tastebuds.
One of the best things about living on the south Cornish coast, is the year round access we have to superb seafood.
My nearest town still has a working fleet of boats and a tiny fishmonger that is really well stocked with a range of seafood that gets landed just feet from the door.
The prices may be higher than you’d pay in a supermarket, but the produce is ridiculously fresh giving it several days fridge life.
And our money goes straight back into the local economy, rather than into a national corporate black hole.
On a recent visit I treated myself to a whole crab.
I sat in the garden one afternoon picking out the meat from the shell with the chickens scratching round my feet for company.
I tried really hard to ignore the urge to eat the meat straight from the shell.
Instead piling it up in a little bowl ready to transform into this vibrant Asian crab salad.
And whilst you can’t go wrong with crab and salad leaves, this dressing is the thing that makes this Asian crab salad divine.
It is light, fragrant and like so many Asian dishes, the flavours are beautifully balanced and guaranteed to make your tastebuds sing.
And if Asian flavours are your thing too, may I recommend checking you my Asian Style Razor Clams recipe?
There’s also plenty of info in the article about how to catch your own razor clams too!
Asian Crab Salad with a Fresh Coriander Dressing
If you’re new to buying crab, bear in mind that there are various options.
For a dish like this, where the crab is the star of the show, you want to buy ‘hand picked’ crab.
Or buy a whole crab and pick the meat out yourself (which is very time consuming so allow plenty of time, or get your guests to help you whilst plying them with plenty of wine, or just buy fresh crab claws which are much easier to pick).
Crab meat that is separated from the shell by high pressure water loses a lot of the flavour.
And tinned crab is best used in something cooked such as a chowder or bake.
- 1/2 bunch coriander fresh,finely chopped
- 2 inches lemongrass stalk fresh,peeled of the dry outer and finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce tamari or coconut aminos
- 3 tablespoons sesame or other mild tasting oil
- 1/2 lime juice and zest
- Chop the coriander, lemongrass as finely as possible.
- Mix with the other dressing ingredients, cover and leave in the fridge until it's time to spoon over your salad.
Glamorous Glutton says
I bet this is divine. I remember on holiday in Cornwall as a child waiting for the boats to land their catch and choosing large crabs to cook for supper. Sadly those days are no more as I’m allergic to shellfish but I love the sweet smell of crab. GG
Jane Sarchet says
Oh I remember you saying this before GG, and yet you still cook crab for your husband? You deserve a medal! :)
Janie x
Grace @ Eats Amazing says
This looks absolutely amazing, I don’t think I’ve ever tried crab, but I definitely want to now! Thanks for the great tips about buying it!
Jane Sarchet says
Oh really?! Get yourself down to Cornwall lady & I’ll take you on a crab tasting tour – the stuff is divine!
Janie x
Elizabeth says
MMm I’m loving the sound of this! I do like the taste of crab but I don’t like picking it out of the shell. I really ought to eat it more. Lovely recipe!
Jane Sarchet says
Thanks Elizabeth :) It is a bit of a faff picking the meat out, but soooo worth it for the flavour!
Janie x
Karen says
That looks UTTERLY dreamy Janie and beats that other Cornish favourite, the old crab sandwich! LOVE salads and crab, so together, they are unbeatable! Karen
Jane Sarchet says
Hear hear Karen, I totally agree :)
Janie x
Emily says
Crab and coriander. Two of my fave things! Great recipe will have to try xx
Jane Sarchet says
I do seem to use both rather a lot too Emily, crab is deffo up there in my top 5 favourite seafoods :)
Janie x
miss messy says
I am so jealous. I wish I lived nearer the coast. This looks absolutely delicious. Simple but tasty!
Jane Sarchet says
Thank you Miss Messy, and thanks for taking the time to leave a comment too :) There are definite benefits to living so close to the sea, although in the summer holidays it does have its drawbacks too :)
Janie x
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry says
My other half has been drooling at your picture and recipe Janie. Now that is rare.
Sylvia @ Happiness is homemade says
I’ve tried crab once and it was a disaster ;) I bought ready made cooked crab and it really didn’t go well if I only had your recipe back then I’m sure it would taste much much better! ;-)
Jane Sarchet says
Yeah, there are some sadly inferior types of crab out there Sylvia! Better luck next time :)
Janie x
Choclette says
I’m trying to imagine having dull and uninspired tastebuds – it sounds terrible. But I can see how your zingy dressing could know some sense into this stupid tastebuds ;-)
Jane Sarchet says
You’re right Choclette, it sounds like hell :D
Janie x
Ginny Kelty says
Plan to try this very soon. Would « fresh coriander « Be the same as what we in the States cal « cilantro ».
Jane Sarchet says
Yes Ginny, they are one and the same! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do (and now I want to make it again real soon!)
Janie x