Learn the Art of Crafting Rich and Savory Field Crab Hotpot at Moc Quan

During my childhood days in the countryside, amidst the June breeze, reminiscing the thick and creamy mud crab soup, both sweet and refreshing, inspired me to craft a tantalizing field crab hotpot feast for the entire family.

Indulge in Rustic Delicacies Amidst Luxurious Villas

Exploring various venues for field crab hotpot, each offering its unique recipe and secrets to a flavorful broth packed with abundant crab bricks, richness, and the distinctive aroma and intense flavor of healthy field crabs, undoubtedly Moc Quan on Duong Thanh Street stands out.

A hidden gem in this ancient villa on Đường Thành Street serves a heartwarming rustic delicacy.

My first visit here was hosting a colleague. She praised the elegance and fame of this place for its delicious field crab hotpot. True to her words, both my guest and I were amazed by the thick and fragrant broth. It's just crab but stir-fried to perfection, blended with the aroma of dried shallots and a broth that's rich but not overpowering, wonderfully savory.

The broth base for the field crab hotpot at Mộc Quán - thick, rich, savory, yet refreshing.

Down South, they have crab hotpot too, but it's from sea crabs. The sweetness of field crabs and sea crabs differs quite a lot. Sea crabs are sweet but not as distinct, tasting more of the saltiness of the ocean, and the characteristic freshness of seafood. Field crabs, on the other hand, are from freshwater, sweeter, richer, and surprisingly refreshing after a meal.

The field crab hotpot at Mộc Quán uses crabs sourced from either the Kinh Thầy or Luộc Hải Dương rivers.

Field crab hotpot served with morning glory, a hint of beef, and tangled vermicelli.

Once you've tasted a delicious dish, it stays with you for a long time. So, sometimes at home, when the craving for field crab hotpot strikes and no one's available to go out, hardly anyone goes for hotpot alone. Hence, you end up rummaging through the market, buying crabs, and making it at home. Luckily, I've picked up some simple cooking tips for field crab hotpot from Mộc Quán.

Handy tips for cooking delicious field crab hotpot at home

Ingredients for a pot of field crab hotpot

+ 700g field crabs

+ 500g beef bones

+ 4 pieces of tofu skin

+ 500g beef (choose sirloin)

+ 4 tomatoes, 5 star fruits, ½ cup of vinegar, 2 pieces of ginger, 2 pieces of dried shallots

+ Seasonings: salt, sugar, cooking oil

+ Fresh herbs: lettuce, basil, banana flowers, Vietnamese balm, morning glory

How to cook field crab hotpot:

Step 1: Prepare the broth: While each chef at the restaurant has their secret for making broth, at home, the head chef at Mộc Quán suggests a simple method using beef bone broth and the following tips.

+ Clean and chop the beef bones into small pieces, blanch them in boiling water, then put them in a pot to simmer. Remember to skim off the foam and change the water 2-3 times to keep the broth clear and less odorous.

+ Keep the dried shallots and ginger with their skins on. Toast them over fire to slightly char the skins and bring out their aroma. Then, peel off the skins, crush them lightly, and add them to the simmering broth at the end (about 1.5 - 2 liters).

 Dried shallots and ginger help reduce the odor and clarify the broth

Step 2: Preparing the crab: Place the crabs in a small pot, add salt, then vigorously shake them several times to remove dirt, and rinse with water. Next, quickly separate the crabs, extracting the shells and meat separately. Mince the meat and strain it through a sieve to remove crab residue, retaining about 1.5 liters of broth.

Preparing the crabs, retaining about 1.5 liters of broth

Step 3: Frying tofu: Cut the tofu into small square pieces suitable for eating, fry them until golden, ensuring they don't get too dry as it may lose its sweetness.

Step 4: Prepare the dipping sauce: Thinly slice beef, marinate with crushed garlic and ginger. Wash and soak fresh vegetables in saltwater, then drain. At Mộc Quán, the primary dipping vegetables are morning glory, banana flowers. At home, if you prefer additional vegetables, you can add water spinach, cabbage, but the best combination remains morning glory.

Fry tofu and marinate beef

Step 5: Cooking the broth: At this point, you have simmered beef bone broth and strained crab broth. Combine these two broths in a pot, add chopped tomatoes, star fruits, and simmer for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally when the broth starts to boil gently and gently stir to prevent the crab paste from forming large clumps but not too finely (However, if you prefer the crab paste to coagulate into a solid block, leave it as is). Adjust seasoning to taste. The head chef at Mộc Quán also suggests separately stir-frying a portion of crab paste and adding it to the broth to enhance the aroma and richness of the hotpot.

 Stir-fry crab paste and shallots then add to the broth

While waiting for the water to boil, finely chop shallots, sauté until fragrant, then add the crab paste (portion separated earlier) and stir-fry quickly until golden. Pour everything into the boiling broth. Finally, add the tofu cubes into the pot. Now the field crab hotpot is ready for everyone to enjoy.

 The field crab hotpot only needs a few more minutes to be ready

Field crab hotpot is hot and comforting to eat, yet surprisingly refreshing afterward, making it suitable for both winter and summer. Nowadays, you can buy pre-made crab from supermarkets or markets, but pre-made crab lacks the separated crab paste for stir-frying, and you may not know how long the crab has been prepared or if it's contaminated.

Therefore, the advice is if you're determined to eat well, invest a bit more time in buying fresh crab and making it yourself or visiting restaurants with chefs specializing in field crab hotpot like Mộc Quán for the best dining experience. Not to mention, I just dined at Mộc Quán last week, and their set menu for 4 people was discounted up to 30%.

Address:

Mộc Quán - 6B Đường Thành, Hoàn Kiếm District

>>> Check out Mộc Quán's special offer up to 30% off now

Thùy Linh

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