Chinese Steamed Crab

While the mushroom is soaking in water for 20 minutes, trim fat and sinew off beef, if needed. Cut the beef with a meat cleaver into thin strips. Take another meat cleaver in the other hand and chop with both cleavers at the same time until the meat is minced. Set aside.

Cut the stem off of the soaked mushroom, and slice it in half, cut it into long strips, and then dice it. Peel skin off ginger, crush the ginger by laying the flat side of the knife over the ginger, and press down on the blade until crushed. Then dice the ginger. Dice shallot and scallion. Peel lotus root, then cut into thin slices, and then dice.

On a cutting board, spread the ingredients in Step 2 over the beef, and combine by chopping with two meat cleavers.

Place the meat in a large mixing bowl. Add baking soda, sugar, oyster sauce, corn starch, soy sauce, and egg. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

In a small saucepan, heat cooking oil, add the dried red chili peppers and Sichuan pepper. After cooking for a while, strain the peppers from the oil. Set aside the oil in a small bowl.

Wash the crab with a brush in cold water. Cut the underbelly of crab in half. Slightly, twist the legs and claws. On the legs and larger front claws, place the flat side of the cleaver on them and press down to slightly crack.

Remove the meat mixture from the refrigerator, and add water and the oil made in Step 5. Mix well.

Select a graduated pan that is wide enough to hold a dinner plate but also allows for water to be beneath the plate, and tall enough to cover the crabs' halves. In this large pan, bring water to a boil. Take the dinner plate that can be steamed and arrange the kale to cover the plate. Separate the meat mixture into two rounded patties and place on top of the kale. Press a crab half into each of the patties with legs up. Use a towel or pot holder and carefully transfer the plate into the pan and cover the pan. Steam for about 15 minutes Very carefully remove the plate with a towel or potholders.

Serve on separate plates.