One of my all time favorite dishes is Spicy Marinated Crab (양념게장). Give me some warm rice and I can sit and eat them forever. Another popular dish is Soy Marinated Crab (간장게장) which is made using a soy based brine, but I prefer spicy over soy any day. My mom always made this for us using fresh blue crabs which obviously meant a lot more work, but you can actually find them pre-cut and frozen at most Korean markets. (Thanks sister for the tip)🙌🏻
I honestly wasn’t too sure about the recipe, but after I made it—I literally had to call my mom to tell her how proud she would be of me 😅

Ingredients

6 small blue crabs 꽃게

Seasoning paste

4 tablespoons gochugaru 고추가루
4 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine
3 tablespoons corn syrup 올리고당
1 TBSP sugar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons finely grated juiced ginger
1/2 small white onion sliced
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
2 scallions finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil

Directions:

Place the frozen crabs under cold water to thaw.
Combine all the seasoning ingredients and mix.
Drain crabs and combine the seasoning paste with the crabs making sure to mix well so all the crabs are coated with seasoning paste.
Let marinate for a few hours or overnight.
Serve with rice & enjoy!!
(Keep refrigerated—best eaten within a few days!)

xoxo,

Su & Tay