Asian fusion crab cakes

These crab cakes are a fusion of traditional crab cakes and elements of Asian cuisine. I start with panko instead of bread crumbs, use sriracha sauce instead of tabasco sauce, season with traditional mustard and Old Bay Seasoning and finish with a Thai-style dipping sauce.

About crab - fresh vs. pasteurized

If you are lucky enough to have access to affordable fresh crab, then by all means use fresh crab. Nothing compares to fresh crab, but it is hard to come by, expensive and has only a few days of shelf life until it needs to be eaten.  If you don't have access to fresh crab, or don't want to mortgage your house to purchase some, pasteurized crab is a good choice for satisfying your crab cravings. I think the best place to buy pasteurized crab is Costco, for quality and price. Pasteurized crab has about a 1-year shelf life under refrigeration.  I keep a can of pasteurized crab in my fridge so I can pull it out for last-minute crabcakes or to add to soups or salads. With a can of pasteurized crab in my fridge I know I can pull together something special when the rest of my fridge is empty.

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Prepare in advance

The nice thing about crab cakes is they really should be prepared in advance and refrigerated before cooking. Even 30 minutes of refrigeration helps keep the crab cakes from falling apart when you cook them. They can also be made a day in advance.

Cook and serve promptly

Cook crab cakes in a hot frying pan for a couple minutes on each side. Serve immediately.

Crab cakes with Asian dipping sauce

Print Recipe

Print Recipe

These crab cakes are a fusion of traditional crab cake ingredients and Asian ingredients. They are quick to make and always impress.

• Author: Something New For Dinner
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 12 crab cakes 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 pound lump crab
• 2 t Old Bay Seasoning
• 1 T whole grain mustard, I like Pommery
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 T sriracha sauce
• 1/4 cup celery, finely chopped, divided
• 1 green onion finely chopped
• 1 1/4 cup panko, divided
• 2 T grated parmesan cheese
• 2 T lime juice
• 1 T soy sauce
• 1 T Thai fish sauce, I like Red Boat or 3 Crabs
• 1 T rice wine vinegar
• 1 t brown sugar
• Green portion of on green onion, finely chopped
• 2 T olive oil, divided
• 2 T canola oil, divided

Instructions

1. In a large bowl mix first 8 ingredients and 1 cup of panko. Use your hands and mix just to combine, trying not to break all of the lumps. Set aside.
2. Mix remaining 1/4 cup panko and parmesan cheese in a separate bowl. Use a quarter cup measuring cup to scoop up the crab mixture and form each portion into 2″ cakes. Dip each cake into the panko and parmesan mixture to coat. Place dipped cakes on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or more.
3. Make sauce by combining lime juice, soy sauce, Thai fish sauce, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar and chopped green onion. Set aside until ready to serve.
4. Heat a large frying pan and add 1 T olive oil and 1 T canola oil. When oil is hot add 6 crab cakes and cook until well browned on each side, about 2 minutes per side. Remove and place on paper towel-lined plate. Add remaining oil to pan, allow oil to get hot and then cook remaining 6 crab cakes. Serve immediately.