Thai crab with ginger and glass noodles

Blue crab and glass noodles with ginger

This dish combines the strong favour of blue crab with the light texture of glass noodles, known in Thailand as woon sen. The ingredients are quickly stir-fried in a wok with garlic, shallots, sesame oil and just enough ginger to add warmth and depth.

In Thai cooking, ginger (khing) is used far less than galangal, which appears in nearly all curry pastes and many soups. Here, it plays a specific role. When sliced into very fine julienne, it releases its aroma gradually and blends smoothly with the other ingredients, without dominating the dish. This cutting method is essential to achieve a balanced taste.

Recipe for Thai crab with ginger and glass noodles (serves 2)

Ingredients

• 200 g fresh glass noodles (or 70 g dried, soaked 10–15 min)

• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce

• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon coconut sugar

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil

• 20 g shallots, finely sliced

• 10 g garlic, chopped

• 30 g ginger, cut into very fine julienne

• 20 g shiitake mushrooms, finely sliced

• 2 blue crabs (about 200 g each), cleaned and prepared (follow our tutorial)

• 1 tablespoon fish sauce

• 3 leaf celery stalks (about 15 g), sliced

Preparation

1. Marinate the noodles with the light soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce and coconut sugar.

2. Heat sesame oil in a wok over medium heat. Stir-fry shallots, garlic, ginger and shiitake for 2 minutes.

3. Add the crab (cut as shown in our crab preparation tutorial) and fish sauce. Cover and cook gently for 2 minutes.

4. Add the noodles and marinade. Mix well and cook 1–2 minutes until translucent.

5. Add the Thai celery, mix again, then remove from heat. Serve immediately.

Tips for a perfect result

• Always slice the ginger into the thinnest julienne possible. This allows it to flavour the dish evenly without becoming too strong. Avoid grating or chopping it finely, which alters its texture and makes the taste harsh.

• You can replace the blue crab with prawns, they work well with the sauce and noodles.

Learn more about Thai wok cooking

Do you like Thai stir-fried dishes with ginger ?

Try these great recipes from our blog :

• Kai Pad King – Thai ginger chicken stir-fry with mushrooms and soy sauce.

• Pla Jian – sweet-and-sour fish with ginger, garlic and tamarind

Both dishes are simple to prepare and show how ginger can enhance Thai food when used with precision.

Follow a Thai cooking class on Koh Samui

Would you like to learn how to prepare this recipe and other authentic Thai stir-fries? Join our private and professional cooking classes at InFusion Cooking Classes Koh Samui. You’ll learn the techniques behind perfect wok balance, heat control, timing and flavour harmony.

Find this recipe in our book

This recipe for Thai crab with ginger and glass noodles is included in our book “Pad Thai, noodles & rice”, which features 30 traditional Thai dishes.