Mala crawfish (麻辣小龙虾)

Last Updated on September 6, 2020 by Simon Fan

Crawfish are an inseparable part of southern cooking, especially Cajun cuisine. They make jambalaya and gumbo taste incredible, and are fervently celebrated at every crawfish boil party.

Louisiana native Chef Donald Link wrote passionately about them in his fantastic cookbooks Real Cajun and Down South, and introduced me to recipes such as crawfish pies, crawfish étouffée, and crawfish gratin.

This iconic American southern ingredient was brought to China, via Japan, about a hundred years ago, and has been embraced by the local cooking there. Called Xiao Long Xia (小龙虾) in Mandarin, meaning “little lobster,” they’re great when stir-fried head-on and shell-on, and their sweet and tender meat contrasts nicely with aggressive flavors such as garlic, spice mix, or beer. Of course, for crawfish aficionados, the best part is sucking the head for the prized head juice.

My favorite Chinese crawfish dish is Mala crawfish (麻辣小龙虾) or numbing (ma) and spicy (la) crawfish. The “mala” effect is created by Sichuan peppercorns and dried chili peppers, and they sure will set both your tongue and appetite on fire. I make this dish each year when crawfish are in high season, typically in April and May, and are available at places such as Sea Breeze Fish Market near Port Authority and in Chinatown. While you can use frozen crawfish for this dish, I highly recommend that you use live ones if available.

Before cooking crawfish, you need to clean (or purge) them to remove impurities in their intestinal tract. An effective way is to keep them in a sink filled with salted water for 10 to 20 minutes. Once cleaning is done, it only takes you a few minutes to cook them. And then, to claim your reward, do the following: twist and snap the head (and suck the juice), peel the shell, tug out the tail meat, and enjoy.

Be sure to have lots of paper towels handy and cold beer ready!

Mala crawfish (麻辣小龙虾)

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 lb (454 g) live crawfish
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns, crushed
6 pieces dried chili peppers, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) lengths
2 scallions, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
1-inch (2.5 cm) piece of ginger, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 cup (240 ml) water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon Zhenjiang (aka Chinkiang) vinegar
1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Directions

1. Clean the crawfish by keeping them in a sink filled with salted water for 10 to 20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly under running water. Next, put the crawfish in plenty of ice water for 15 minutes or so to send them to sleep. Drain well right before cooking. (This is a humane way to cook live seafood and it also helps reduce the stress in their flesh while cooking.)
2. Place a wok or skillet over medium heat until hot, then swirl in the oil. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the Sichuan peppercorns and chili peppers, and stir-fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the scallions, ginger, and garlic. Turn up the heat and stir fry for 1 minute.
3. Add the water, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, and wine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then add the crawfish. Lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Stir and mix until the cooking liquid has reduced and the crawfish are fully cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot or at room temperature.