Tempura Soft Shell Crab Bao Bun

Soft shell crab is one of those things that you see on a restaurant menu but never think to make at home – that’s how I felt, at least.

This all changed a few months ago when I started going to the local farmer’s market in Brooklyn. I spotted a vendor that sold some really fresh soft-shell crab and decided to pick a few up on a whim!

I had a few steamed bao buns left in my freezer and decided to make these tempura soft-shell crab bao buns! The tempura batter is made with cake flour, cornstarch, and ice-cold beer for the lightest but crispiest fry. This is definitely a treat but one that’s absolutely worth it! Perfect for date night with your honey or just by yourself 🙂

Why you’ll love this recipe

The pillowy soft texture of the bao buns, married with the light and crunchiness of the tempura soft shell crabs, create a mouth-watering meal you won’t be able to resist. Instead of using water for the tempura batter, I used cold beer to ensure it’s extra crispy but still airy.

Don’t forget to slather the soft shell crabs with my homemade chili mayo sauce for a major flavor bomb. It combines mayo, chili oil, dijon mustard, and pickled peppers to create the perfect balance of spicy, tangy, and sweet.

When put all together, these soft shell bao buns resemble a scrumptious restaurant-quality meal without the price!

How do I prepare Tempura Soft Shell Crab Bao Bun?

To make this delectable dish, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Prepare chili mayo sauce

Combine mayo, chili oil, dijon mustard, sugar, garlic, pickled peppers, pickled pepper juice, cilantro, and lemon zest. Mix together well until thoroughly combined. Set aside in the fridge until ready to use.

Step 2: Steam the bao buns

If you’re using store-bought bao buns, steam them according to the package instructions. If you’re making bao buns from scratch, follow my recipe above. After steaming, keep them warm until you’re ready to assemble.

Step 3: Pre-heat the oil

In a deep pot, add neutral oil to the halfway mark. Then, heat it to 360°F (182°C) over medium heat.

Step 4: Prepare the tempura batter

In a bowl, beat the egg using a whisk. Sift the cake flour, cornstarch, and salt into the egg. Pour in the cold beer and gently mix until combined. Refrain from overmixing, or else the batter will become dense.

Step 5: Coat the soft shell crabs

Place the soft shell crabs into the batter until they’re evenly coated. Carefully transfer the battered crab into the oil, and fry for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.

Step 6: Drain excess oil

Transfer to a wire rack, then sprinkle with flakey salt. Repeat for the remaining coated crab.

Step 7: Assemble the bao buns

To assemble the bao, take a steamed bao bun, then fill it with lettuce, soft shell crab, chili oil mayo, and scallions.

Step 8: Serve

Serve the bao buns immediately, and enjoy!

Cooking Tips for Tempura Soft Shell Crab Bao Bun

Here are a few tips and tricks you can keep in mind to make the process of making soft shell bao buns easier:

• Since they’re the star of this recipe, make sure to get fresh soft shell crabs since these can affect the overall flavor of this dish. Live ones should be a good indication, and they should smell fresh – like the ocean.

• The tempura batter should be light and watery, but if you want it a bit thicker, you can add more cake flour in small amounts.

• Only prepare the tempura batter when you’re ready to coat the soft shell crabs. Letting it sit too long makes the gluten (type of protein) develop, resulting in a rubbery texture.

• Take care not to burn the soft shell crabs when frying. Once the batter turns golden brown, remove them from the heat immediately and allow the excess oil to drain.

• Feel free to adjust the chili oil you want to add to the mayo sauce according to your spice level.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Soft-shell crabs: soft shell crabs are the star of this recipe. But if you can’t access any, substitute them with your preferred seafood, such as shrimp, crab meat, scallops, or fish.

Cake flour: cake flour is the base for the tempura batter, but you can also substitute it with all-purpose flour.

Cornstarch: cornstarch helps add a crispy texture to the batter. You can also substitute it with potato or sweet potato starch.

Salt: salt adds a salty taste to the batter to improve the overall flavor of the soft-shell crabs.

Egg: egg helps bind the ingredients of the tempura batter and helps boost its light and crispy texture.

Cold beer: cold beer helps create a light and crispy batter. Feel free to use any brand you prefer or remove it from the recipe if you don’t want to add it.

Bao buns: they’re the vessel for holding the delicious soft shell crab filling. You can use store-bought bao buns or homemade ones.

Lettuce: lettuce adds a freshness to the dish, but you can also swap it for your choice of leafy greens, such as spinach, arugula, or kale.

Scallion: scallions add a nice touch of color to the dish. But you can substitute them with spring onions, leeks, or chives.

Neutral oil: any neutral oil will work well for frying soft shell crabs, including vegetable, canola, or peanut oil.

Flakey salt: flakey salt enhances the flavors of the soft shell crabs after frying. You can also use regular salt as a substitute.

Mayonnaise: mayonnaise is the base for the chili oil mayo sauce. Feel free to use American or Japanese mayo.

Chili oil: chili oil adds a spicy taste to the sauce. Feel free to use any brand or make my Korean Chili Oil recipe in advance.

Dijon mustard: Dijon mustard adds a sharp and tangy taste that cuts through the flavors of the sauce. You can also substitute it with yellow mustard to tone down its flavor.

Sugar: the sweetness of the sugar will balance out the flavors of the sauce. Feel free to use white or brown sugar for this recipe.

Grated garlic: grated garlic adds a distinct umami taste and aroma to enhance the sauce’s flavor. You can use garlic powder, but the flavors won’t be as intense.

Pickled peppers: pickled peppers provide a spicy, tangy, and sweet taste to the sauce, complementing the rest of the flavors of the sauce. As a substitute, you can use fresh chili peppers, like jalapeno or poblano, if you want the spice. But if you want the tangy flavor, you can use pickled relish.

Pickled pepper juice: pickled pepper juice enhances the flavors that pickled peppers provide.

Cilantro: cilantro adds a fresh and citrusy taste to round out the flavors of the sauce. But you can omit it if you don’t like its taste or replace it with parsley.

Lemon zest: lemon zest adds a fresh citrusy taste to the sauce. But in a pinch, you can also use lime or orange zest.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does beer do for the tempura batter?

The alcohol, carbon dioxide, and foaming agent of the beer help create a light and crispy tempura batter for the soft shell crabs. If you’re worried about the alcohol, it evaporates during frying, so there’s no need to worry!

I recommend you use cold beer for the batter because its temperature slows gluten formation, so the batter doesn’t absorb as much oil and turn soggy.

Can you store soft shell crab bao buns?

Yes, you can store leftover soft shell crab bao buns in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. But keep the filling and bao buns separate since the sauce and soft shell crabs can make the bao buns soggy. This way, you can also reheat them by steaming the bao buns and re-frying the soft shell crabs in oil.

Looking for more easy & delicious seafood recipes?

1. Mentaiko Onigiri – if you’re fond of onigiris, you shouldn’t miss out on this recipe. Mentaiko adds a rich and umami flavor that seafood lovers won’t forget!

2. Roasted Red Pepper Shrimp Pasta – if you’re in the mood for pasta, take a bite out of this spicy dish. It’s packed with succulent shrimp and veggies, you’ll want to keep this on your weekly rotation because it’s that delicious!

3. Seafood Soondubu (Korean Soft Tofu Stew) – spicy, flavorful, and umami, this soft tofu stew recipe is the epitome of Korean comfort food. It’s jam-packed with clams and a variety of veggies, so every bite is a flavor bomb.

4. Salmon Sashimi Rice Bowl – you no longer have to order takeout from the restaurant when you can easily recreate this dish with this recipe. Make sure to use the freshest ingredients to highlight the natural flavors of the salmon!

5. Korean Oyster Pancake (Gul Jeon) – this recipe is my take on the popular Hong Kong-style oyster pancakes. Instead of one large delicious piece, I modified them into bite-sized pieces so they’re easier to pop into your mouth!

1. If using store-bought bao buns, steam them by following the package instructions. If making bao buns from scratch, check out my Steamed Bao Bun recipe. 

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