Freshwater Fish, Shrimp and Shellfish · FFET10182
Ma La Xiao Long Xia (mala crayfish)
Freshwater crayfish cooked in dried chilies, Sichuan pepper and spices to a hot, numbing flavor, and peeled by hand at the table.
A round white porcelain plate holds red crayfish coated in glossy red sauce, with Sichuan peppercorns, dried chiles, green scallion, ginger and garlic nestled among the shells, with wooden chopsticks resting beside the plate.
Fish, shrimp, crab and molluscs from rivers, lakes and ponds.
Ma la xiao long xia is a dish of freshwater crayfish cooked with dried chilies, Sichuan pepper and spices to a hot, numbing flavor and peeled by hand at the table. Its region is Jiangsu, its rise is linked to Xuyi County, and it later spread to Beijing's Guijie street. There are 2 home methods: in one, live crayfish are first purged of grit and then simmered with spices for 4 to 5 minutes; in the other, they are boiled in a spiced broth for about 3 minutes and left off the heat to soak for about 30 minutes. Ma xiao is its short name, and shisan xiang is a trade name for a seasoning blend that can hold more than 20 spices.
What
Ma la xiao long xia is freshwater crayfish stir-fried or boiled with dried chilies, Sichuan pepper, scallion, ginger, garlic and seasonings to a hot, numbing flavor, peeled by hand and shortened to ma xiao. Shisan xiang is a trade name for a seasoning blend that can hold more than 20 spices.1,3,4
When
No dated text for this dish was found. Claims about when crayfish reached China and when the dish became popular, including arrival from the United States via Japan about 100 years ago, are second-hand; the underlying footnotes and primary sources were not checked, so specific years are not presented as fact.1,2,3,4
Where
The dish's region is Jiangsu, its rise is linked to Xuyi County, and it later spread to Beijing's Guijie street. Crayfish-growing areas include Hubei, Jiangsu, Hunan and other provinces.1,2
How
One method starts by purging live crayfish of grit in salted water for 10 to 20 minutes. Sichuan pepper, dried chilies, scallion, ginger and garlic are fried in oil to release their aroma, then the crayfish are added and simmered with water and seasonings for 4 to 5 minutes. Another method uses a hot, numbing broth of oil, dried chilies, Sichuan pepper, chili bean paste, star anise and stock: the crayfish are boiled for about 3 minutes, then left off the heat to soak for about 30 minutes.3,4
Why
Peeling crayfish by hand can keep people off their phones and make a meal more social. Beyond that, the available material does not specifically explain the dish's popularity.2
Impact and influence
Crayfish output and value figures from an industry report are omitted because the underlying footnotes and report were not checked. No intangible heritage listing was found for the dish.2
No tale about this food has been found.
Grandma Li
This is a simplified home version, not the traditional restaurant method.
This is my simplified home version of ma la xiao long xia, with the aromatics fried first and then a short simmer, and no long soak. The amounts follow the recipe author Simon Fan, for about two people; the recipe by Taylor Holliday is a boil followed by a soak of about 30 minutes, which I do not follow. The two cook differently, and my simmering time and heat are my own judgment at home.
Ingredients
- Live crayfish 450 g
- Salt, for purging 1 tablespoon
- Cooking oil 30 ml
- Sichuan peppercorns, crushed 1 tablespoon
- Dried chilies 6
- Scallions 2, cut into sections
- Ginger 15 g, sliced
- Garlic 2 cloves, smashed
- Water 240 ml
- Light soy sauce 15 ml
- Sugar about 2 g
- Zhenjiang vinegar 5 ml
- Cooking wine 5 ml
Steps
- Put the crayfish in a large basin, add cold water and the salt, and leave them for 10 to 20 minutes. Pick out any that do not move, scrub the shells with a brush, and drain.
- Heat the oil in the wok over medium heat, add the crushed Sichuan pepper and dried chilies, and fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to scorch them.
- Add the scallion sections, ginger and garlic and fry for about 1 minute.
- Add the crayfish, stir-fry for 1 minute, pour in the water, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar and wine, and cover.
- Once it boils, turn the heat to medium and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the shells are bright red and the tail meat has turned opaque white; the crayfish must be cooked through.
- Serve with the sauce while hot and peel them by hand.
Tips
- I do not crowd the wok, and for a bigger amount I cook in two batches so every crayfish is cooked through; this is my own habit.
- Taylor Holliday's recipe boils the crayfish for about 3 minutes and soaks them off the heat for about 30 minutes so the flavor sinks in; it is worth a try if you have the time.
Allergens: shellfish, soy, wheat