Ingredients:

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, preferably freshly ground

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons canola or other neutral oil

1 large shallot or small yellow onion, thinly sliced

3 dried wood ear mushrooms, reconstituted (see below), stemmed, and cut into 1/8-inch wide strips (about 1/4 cup)

1/4 pound cellophane noodles, soaked in hot water until pliable, drained, and cut into 10-inch lengths

Cooked meat and tomalley and fat from a 2-pound Dungeness crab (about 1/2 pound crab meat and 1/4 cup tomalley and fat)

 

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine the tomalley, fat, egg, water, fish sauce, pepper, and chopped cilantro and mix well. Measure the mixture; you want about 3/4 cup total. Add water if needed.

 

2. In a wok or large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and stir-fry for about 2 minutes, or until soft. Add the crabmeat and mushrooms and stir-fry for about 1 minute, or until aromatic. Add the noodles and continue to stir-fry for about 2 minutes, or until they begin to soften. The noodles will look a bit dry.

 

3. Give the tomalley mixture a good stir and pour over the noodles. Quickly work the mixture into the noodles to ensure an even distribution of flavors, lowering the heat if the noodles begin to clump. In about 2 minutes, the noodles will become translucent and lightly golden.

 

4. Remove from the heat and taste and adjust with extra sprinkles of fish sauce and/or pepper. Transfer to a serving plate and serve immediately.

 

Note: If only blue crabs are available, substitute 9 or 10 crabs (31/3 pounds total) for the Dungeness. If you prefer not to use the tomalley and fat, or if there isn’t any, use 2 eggs instead of 1 egg and increase the fish sauce in step 1 to 2 tablespoons.

 

To reconstitute the dried wood ear mushrooms:

Soak the mushrooms in enough hot water to cover for about 15 minutes, or until they are pliable. If the tough “eye” remains at the center of the mushroom, remove it before cutting up the mushroom for a recipe. Because these mushrooms can vary in size, gauge how much fat to use for a recipe by looking at the count and corresponding measurement.

 

Serves 2