INGREDIENTS
Sauce
½ cup water
½ cup white vinegar
¾ cup brown sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeds scooped out with a spoon, and thinly sliced crosswise
1 medium shallot, sliced thin
3 tablespoons thinly sliced Thai chilies or jalapeños
Crab Cakes
1 pound fresh lump crabmeat, picked over
2 cups cold, cooked, long-grain rice, such as Jasmine (rinse the rice before cooking)
¼ pound Virginia ham, finely diced
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk (from a small can)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup plain Panko bread crumbs
Oil for pan-frying
INSTRUCTIONS
½ cup water
½ cup white vinegar
¾ cup brown sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeds scooped out with a spoon, and thinly sliced crosswise
1 medium shallot, sliced thin
3 tablespoons thinly sliced Thai chilies or jalapeños
Crab Cakes
1 pound fresh lump crabmeat, picked over
2 cups cold, cooked, long-grain rice, such as Jasmine (rinse the rice before cooking)
¼ pound Virginia ham, finely diced
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk (from a small can)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup plain Panko bread crumbs
Oil for pan-frying
INSTRUCTIONS
- Make the sauce In a small saucepan, combine water, vinegar, sugar and salt. bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally for 10-12 minutes, until it thickens slightly. Remove from heat and set it aside to cool.
- Meanwhile put the sliced cucumber, sliced shallot, and chilies into a small serving bowl. Pour the cooled sauce on top. Stir and set aside.
- Make the crab cakes Sprinkle Panko bread crumbs onto a large plate. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, add the crab, ham, eggs, flour, condensed milk, rice and salt. Use your hands to mix thoroughly. Form the crab mixture into small patties (about 2 inches across - about 3 level tablespoons of the mixture per cake) You'll have to press them together firmly as you shape them, to get them to be sturdy. As you form a cake, press it into the plate of crumbs. Coat both sides and place it onto the parchment. Continue until all the crab is used. You should have 20-24 crab cakes.
- Line a large plate or cookie sheet with paper towels. Heat about ½ inch of oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, until it's hot enough to sizzle a Panko crumb. Cook crab cakes in batches of 4 or 5 until golden brown and cooked through, about 25-35 seconds per side. Using a slotted spoon or slotted spatula, transfer cakes to paper-towel-lined plate or cookie sheet to drain. Arrange crab cakes on a platter and serve hot with dipping sauce.
- Note: crab mixture can be made a day ahead and kept covered in the fridge.
