Now that I have caught the festive bug, I have the mood to make some Chinese New Year snacks. I have done the arrowhead chips and the meat floss rolls. So the next project was the Crispy Crab Stick Strips. Currently, this is selling for about MYR 12 or MYR 13 or more in the shops.
Last year one of my ex-colleagues taught me how to make crispy crab stick strips. She recommended this brand of crab sticks, which she said is suitable for making these crispy strips.
When I went to the mini market near my house, I found that this is the only brand on sale, MYR 3.20 per pack. These are kept in the freezer compartment. On reaching home, I kept these frozen crab sticks in the lower rack of the refrigerator overnight.
The next day, I took these crab sticks out from the refrigerator. I took one of the crab stick, unrolled it and tore it into approximately half 0.5 inch width strips along its grain.
Once I have finished with all the crab sticks, I got ready my frying pan and heat up the oil to the right temperature for frying. Meanwhile I got ready the stainless steel sieve, my half-moon stainless steel rack and placed it over the frying pan. I also have to prepare a big tray lined with oil absorbent paper and as usual, my Jacobs 750 g biscuit tin lined with oil absorbent paper.
I dipped my bamboo chopstick into the oil and if the chopstick bubbles, then the frying can start. With my clean hands, I grabbed a handful of crab stick strips and placed it into the oil. Then, with the chopsticks I stirred the strips to prevent it from sticking to the frying pan and to each other.
This is the 1st batch of crab stick strips frying in the oil. For this project, frying takes a longer time. The fire has to be medium heat, and I have to stir the strips with chopsticks every now and then for the colour to be uniform. If the strips are not properly fried, it will not be crispy.
Once the strips are fried till light golden in colour, I sieved the strips out with my stainless steel sieve and placed the sieve on the half-moon stainless steel rack for the oil to drip back into the frying pan. Then I poured the strips onto the tray lined with oil absorbent paper. When the strips have cooled to room temperature, I stored them in the biscuit tin lined with oil absorbent paper.
After this, I still have one more Chinese New Year snack project. Can you guess what the snack is? Stay tuned to find out.
Know therefore that the LORD your God is God;
He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love
to a thousand generations of those who love Him
and keep His commands.
(Deuteronomy 7:9, New International Version-NIV)
