Crab Sticks in Batter: Quick Fried Beer Snack

Step-by-step recipe

1. You can make crab sticks in batter from store-bought crab sticks of any length and thickness. Thaw them first without opening the pack: just take the pack out of the freezer the day before and move it to the fridge. Before using, open the pack and peel the film off the sticks, as there usually is one.
   
2. Make the batter. It should be much thicker than the batter for frying fish. Ideally, after frying the batter should be fairly “thick” but very soft. I once came across a term that fits perfectly: “fluffy”. It is not hard if you take your time and do everything right. Carefully separate the egg whites from the yolks. Chill the whites well and add a pinch of salt. Whisk the whites with a mixer to a very firm foam and put them in the fridge.
   
3. Put the yolks in the mixer bowl, add 0.5 tsp sweet paprika and a pinch of salt. Add 1 heaped tbsp of flour and mix everything with the mixer. Add another 1 tbsp of flour and mix. The dough should look like small crumbly lumps and be “dry”.
   
4. Keep mixing and pour in the milk in small portions until the batter is as thick as sour cream, or even a little thicker. It is important that the batter clings well to the crab sticks in the end.
   
5. Now put the mixer aside, you will not need it any more. Using a spatula, fold the whipped whites into the batter, as they make it fluffy. Do not mix too vigorously: just stir slowly and gently until smooth. Then you can start frying the crab sticks in batter.
   
7. You can use any vegetable oil for frying: sunflower, olive, peanut or fat blends. Odorless oil is usually recommended. Here, though, the aroma of the oil may well improve the dish, since it is a snack. Pour the oil into a saucepan and put it on the heat. When the oil comes to a boil, reduce the heat to the minimum.
   
8. Sprinkle a crab stick with a little lemon juice, then skewer it from the end on a wooden skewer, the kind used for homemade shashlik, and dip it into the batter. Let the excess batter drip off, trying to coat the stick with a layer of batter of even thickness. You can turn it from side to side so the batter spreads a little.
   
9. Remember that the oil is very hot and may spatter, so be extremely careful as you slide the stick off the skewer into the oil with a fork. A small saucepan with a handle holds 2-3 crab sticks at a time. It is important not to let them stick together as soon as they hit the oil: just push them apart with the fork.
   
10. The batter fries in a few minutes, so judge by the color. Once it starts to darken and turn golden, it is definitely done. Take the fried sticks out of the hot oil only with a dry fork or slotted spoon, because any drop of water will cause scalding splashes.
    
11. Prepare a large plate in advance and cover it with a paper towel. Transfer the fried crab sticks to the plate so the towel absorbs the excess oil. Fry all the crab sticks this way and let them cool. They should be warm, but not hot.
    
12. To serve, I suggest lining a plate with green salad leaves. Put the crab sticks fried in batter on top of the leaves. Add a few lemon slices. I am not even sure you need cutlery for a snack like this. Usually we squeeze lemon juice over the sticks, pick them up with our fingers and eat them with our favorite drink.
    
13. While the batter is warm, it is very tasty. As it cools, it loses its flavor. That is my personal observation, and I would not reheat it. Make this snack for one sitting. By the way, if you like, you can make the batter spicier by adding chili powder. Sometimes you can add grated cheese to the batter, and the taste is simply wonderful.