Description
Light, crispy crab cakes made with lump crab meat, bits of ham, and cooked white rice, and served with sweet and sour dipping sauce. A fantastic appetizer or first course for a dinner party.
Ingredients
Scale
- Sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeds scooped out with a spoon, and thinly sliced crosswise
- 1 medium shallot, sliced thin
- 3 tablespoons thinly sliced Thai chilies or jalapeños
- Crab Cakes
- 1 pound fresh lump crabmeat, picked over
- 2 cups cold, cooked, long-grain rice, such as Jasmine (rinse the rice before cooking)
- 1/4 pound Virginia ham, finely diced
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk (from a small can)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup plain Panko bread crumbs
- Oil for pan-frying
Instructions
- Make the sauce In a small saucepan, combine water, vinegar, sugar and salt. bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally for 10-12 minutes, until it thickens slightly. Remove from heat and set it aside to cool.
- Meanwhile put the sliced cucumber, sliced shallot, and chilies into a small serving bowl. Pour the cooled sauce on top. Stir and set aside.
- Make the crab cakes Sprinkle Panko bread crumbs onto a large plate. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, add the crab, ham, eggs, flour, condensed milk, rice and salt. Use your hands to mix thoroughly. Form the crab mixture into small patties (about 2 inches across - about 3 level tablespoons of the mixture per cake) You'll have to press them together firmly as you shape them, to get them to be sturdy. As you form a cake, press it into the plate of crumbs. Coat both sides and place it onto the parchment. Continue until all the crab is used. You should have 20-24 crab cakes.
- Line a large plate or cookie sheet with paper towels. Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, until it's hot enough to sizzle a Panko crumb. Cook crab cakes in batches of 4 or 5 until golden brown and cooked through, about 25-35 seconds per side. Using a slotted spoon or slotted spatula, transfer cakes to paper-towel-lined plate or cookie sheet to drain.
- Arrange the crab cakes on a platter and serve warm, with dipping sauce.
- Note: The crab mixture can be made a day ahead and kept covered in the fridge.
- Prep Time: 45 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Sauté
- Cuisine: Thai