Soft shell crab with papaya salad

Soft shell crab and papaya salad is a Summer meal in our house. It has fresh tasty flavours and leaves you feeling light! You can also do this with fish, tofu, calamari, or even have the salad on it’s own.. it’s devine!

Ingredients (serves 2)

60 mls Fish Sauce
60 mls Soy Sauce
60 mls White Vinegar
1/2 cup Sugar
60 mls Water
1 long red Diced up chilli (seeds removed)
1 Green Papaya (shredded)
1 Carrot (Shredded)
1/4 cup Vietnamese mint (Thinly sliced)
2 tbsp Shallots (for topping)
Crushed peanuts optional
4 Soft Shell crabs (thawed, washed and dried on paper towel)
3/4 cup Flour for dusting crab in
1 tsp Salt and pepper (into flour mixutre)
1 tbsp Paprika (into flour mixture)
Oil For deep frying soft shell crab
2 Eggs (beaten for egg wash)

Method

Dressing: combine the fish sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, water and sugar in a bowl, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Taste it to make sure you get an even balance of sour, sweet, spicy etc.
Combine the papaya, carrot, mint, crushed peanuts and fried shallots in a separate bowl. Set aside until ready to serve.
Drain any excess water from the soft shell crab on paper towels. Once dry, place crabs in egg wash and then coat in flour mixture. (Light dusting). Deep fry soft shell crabs until golden brown. (Test by cutting through centre to see if it is cooked to your delight) but don't over cook otherwise crab will be very dry. Let the crab drain on a paper towel whilst you assemble your papaya salad
Pour the Dressing into the papaya salad mix and stir through well using your fingers. Place the salad on a plate for serving and then top off with soft shell crabs. Pour remainder of the dressing over the top of the crabs/salad and ENJOY!

82 Comments

- - mom94125 said
  - 07 Oct 2014
    11:29 am
i haven’t actually heard of this idea before but this is such a different take! thank you for the post!

- - shmoking said
  - 06 Oct 2014
    8:49 pm
Loved it, was easy to make and refreshing, highly recommended to all.

- - maureen3 said
  - 06 Oct 2014
    1:37 pm
My favourite so yummy and tasty

- - mel_phillips said
  - 05 Oct 2014
    7:49 pm
This sounds divine! Thanks so much for sharing your great recipe!

- - memo said
  - 04 Oct 2014
    11:04 pm
what an unusual recipe, looks tasty

- - mom70050 said
  - 03 Oct 2014
    1:27 pm
This seems like an impressive dish, thanks for sharing.

- - rachkap said
  - 02 Oct 2014
    3:54 am
Looks amazing – hubby would love this

- - shortaez said
  - 01 Oct 2014
    9:03 pm
I’ve never tried papaya salad looks nice

- - sueban said
  - 01 Oct 2014
    8:14 pm
Looks and sounds great thanks for sharing

- - mom93821 said
  - 01 Oct 2014
    6:33 am
This dish looks so delicious. I love the flavour combinations. Thanks for sharing.

- - damish70 said
  - 01 Oct 2014
    12:33 am
Wow looks like it would be a flavour explosion in your mouth-yum
- mom93821 replied
  
  28 Sep 2019 , 9:37 am
  It is indeed – it bursts with flavour.
- - caramello said
  - 30 Sep 2014
    11:49 pm
looks good thanks for sharing

- - mom72215 said
  - 30 Sep 2014
    9:15 pm
Soft shell crab is the best!! And can’t think of anything better to accompany it than a great papaya salad. Yummo! Will definitely be trying this recipe.

- - skbou said
  - 30 Sep 2014
    8:56 pm
I’ve never tried cooking crabs this way, it sounds delicious 🙂

- - love mum said
  - 30 Sep 2014
    8:50 pm
This looks delicious. I love crab and have heard and seen alot about this recipe. Mouth is watering again now. Great Dish

- - vanyadhanya said
  - 30 Sep 2014
    2:30 pm
an interesting combination; never tried before.

- - mom57522 said
  - 30 Sep 2014
    12:14 pm
I can see why this lovely dish is such a hit!