Fried Crab Sticks aka Imitation Crab
Servings: 12 people
Calories: 480kcal
Cost: $5
These fried crab stick bites are dipped in a light tempura batter and quickly fried. Serve them with a creamy tarter sauce, these crispy crab bites are an inexpensive appetizer recipe everyone will love!
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Ingredients
- 14 oz. Imitation Crab Sticks
- 1 Cup Tempura Mix
- ¾ Cup Ice Water
- 1½ Tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
- Oil for frying
- Tarter Sauce For Dipping
- 1 Lemon Optional
Instructions
- Add 2-3 inches of oil to a large pot and heat to 375° F. (use an oil thermometer)
- In a large bowl, add your water and tempura mix. Whisk until you get a pancake batter consistency. If it is too thick to dip your crab sticks in, add a touch more water.
- Cut your crab sticks into 4 pieces.
- Add your crab bites to the tempura batter and one by one, add to hot oil using a toothpick, fork or tongs. (whichever is easier and less messy) You want to use something that allows the excess batter to drip off before adding it to your oil!*Do not crowd your pot with too many at once because the cold batter will bring down the temperature of your oil and your bites will be saturated with oil instead of light and airy. Wait until the oil comes back to temperature before adding next batch.
- Drain crab bites on paper towels and sprinkle with more old bay. Continue until all your crab is fried. Serve warm with tarter sauce and lemon wedges on the side!
Notes
*You can make your own tempura batter if you wish but the box mix works wonderfully and saves time!
*Serve these hot within an hour of frying. They will become soggy as they sit. Pop them back in the oven or air fryer to crispy back up.
Nutrition
Serving: 6Bites | Calories: 480kcal | Fat: 12.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g