Bánh Canh Cua

Dungeness Crab Noodle Soup

2 dungeness crabs
8 pork hock slices
4 packages of frozen tapioca strips
2 T hot chili oil
3 quarts homemade chicken stock
Green onion, cilantro : chopped
1 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
vegetable oil
fish sauce, salt, pepper to taste

Boil 1 up of water in a large soup pot, drop live crabs in, cover and let stand for 1 minute. Drain and refresh the crabs in cold water.
Detach the shell from the body, scoop out the butter into a bowl. Remove and discard the apron and gills. Quarter the crabs: Lay the crab on a cutting board and place heavy cleaver, blage edge down, across center of the crab body. Firmly strike the top of the cleaver to split the crab in half. Cut each half crosswise into 2 pieces, leave claw and legs attached to body (or you can detach claws and legs or anyway you want). Crack the claws and legs with the flat side of a heave cleaver.

Heat oil in a soup pot over high heat, add onion and stir-fry until fragrant. Add the crabs and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add fish sauce, pepper to taste. Pour in chicken broth, bring to boil, skim off foam. Add salt, fish sauce to taste.

In a small pan, heat 1 T oil over high heat, add garlic and stir until fragrant. Add crab's butter, hot chili oil in. Cook for 3 minutes and transfer to the soup pot.

Cook the ham hocks in a seperate pot until fork penetrate easily. Remove and transfer to the crab soup.

Add tapioca strips in before serve. Sprinkle with green onion and cilantro.