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Side dishes · Korean home cooking

Yangnyeom gejang — spicy marinated raw crab

Raw crab coated in a glossy garlic-and-chili sauce and chilled for 2 hours. This is the traditional raw preparation, with clear handling advice and a separately described cooked alternative.

150 min3 servings6 steps
Yangnyeom gejang — spicy marinated raw crab

AI-generated cooking illustrations. Follow the written quantities and instructions.

01 / Before you start

Ingredients

3 servings

Get your ingredients ready
Get your ingredients ready

Everyday kitchen measurements

For 3 servings. Use a small 180 ml paper cup, a level eating spoon (about 15 ml) and a small teaspoon (about 5 ml).

How to fill the cup and spoons

Use the same cup and spoons throughout. Their sizes vary, so these amounts are approximate. Spoon flour in loosely and level the top without pressing. Measure vegetables after chopping, without packing them down. The amounts in g/ml are the original reference quantities. For part of a pack, use the specified pack weight and divide the contents evenly.

King Arthur Baking

Essential, optional and substitute ingredients

Keep essential ingredients. For a replacement, use its listed amount and cooking changes instead of that ingredient’s original amount. Skip optional ingredients and their preparation if omitted. Photos show the original recipe.

  • Essential

    This is the defining ingredient of traditional raw gejang. Ask a regulated supplier specifically about raw consumption and cold-chain handling; ordinary thawed cooking crab is not interchangeable. Raw use still carries risk. Choose the cooked variation if uncertain.

  • Substitute available

    If Soy sauce is unavailable

    Use instead
    Tamari
    Substitute quantity
    3 level eating spoonsReference quantity: 45 ml

    Use the same spoon quantity of regular-strength tamari. Saltiness varies, so taste before adding any extra seasoning. Check the label if avoiding wheat.

  • Essential

    Keep this ingredient: it provides the main structure or seasoning of this dish.

  • Substitute available

    If Rice syrup is unavailable

    Use instead
    Honey
    Substitute quantity
    1 ½ level eating spoonsReference quantity: about 30 g

    Use 1½ level eating spoons honey instead of 2 spoons syrup. Stir into the cold sauce. The result is sweeter and has a different aroma. Honey is not suitable for infants.

  • Essential

    Keep this ingredient: it provides the main structure or seasoning of this dish.

  • Essential

    Keep this ingredient: it provides the main structure or seasoning of this dish.

  • Essential

    Keep this ingredient: it provides the main structure or seasoning of this dish.

  • Optional

    Omit the spring onion from the sauce and garnish if unavailable.

  • Optional

    Omit the thin onion slices from the final mix if unavailable. Do not add water to replace them.

  • Optional

    Omit the sesame seeds at the final garnish if unavailable or avoiding sesame. No other quantity changes are needed.

Tap each ingredient as you prepare it. Check product labels for egg, soy, sesame, wheat, fish or shellfish where relevant.

02 / You’re ready to cook

Step-by-step cooking

  1. Step 1

    Step 1: Plan for raw seafood. Raw crab can transmit harmful germs despite chili and soy sauce. Use the fully cooked alternative for children, pregnant people, older adults and those with liver disease or weakened immunity. Keep supplier-confirmed raw-consumption crab at 4°C or colder and use separate seafood tools. If its cold chain is uncertain, do not use it raw.

    Plan for raw seafood. Raw crab can transmit harmful germs despite chili and soy sauce. Use the fully cooked alternative for children, pregnant people, older adults and those with liver disease or weakened immunity. Keep supplier-confirmed raw-consumption crab at 4°C or colder and use separate seafood tools. If its cold chain is uncertain, do not use it raw.

  2. Step 2

    Step 2: Prepare the sauce first. In a clean bowl, stir 3 level eating spoons soy sauce, 2 level eating spoons rice syrup, 1 small teaspoon sugar, 1 level eating spoon minced garlic and ½ small teaspoon grated ginger. Add 3 level eating spoons Korean chili flakes. Do not substitute the same quantity of cayenne, which can be much hotter.

    Prepare the sauce first. In a clean bowl, stir 3 level eating spoons soy sauce, 2 level eating spoons rice syrup, 1 small teaspoon sugar, 1 level eating spoon minced garlic and ½ small teaspoon grated ginger. Add 3 level eating spoons Korean chili flakes. Do not substitute the same quantity of cayenne, which can be much hotter.

  3. Step 3

    Step 3: Let the sauce hydrate. Refrigerate the sauce for 10 minutes so the chili flakes absorb liquid and the sauce thickens. Slice the optional ¼ onion very thinly and chop 1 spring onion. Keep these prepared vegetables on a clean board away from raw crab. Do not add extra water to thin the sauce.

    Let the sauce hydrate. Refrigerate the sauce for 10 minutes so the chili flakes absorb liquid and the sauce thickens. Slice the optional ¼ onion very thinly and chop 1 spring onion. Keep these prepared vegetables on a clean board away from raw crab. Do not add extra water to thin the sauce.

  4. Step 4

    Step 4: Prepare the crab while keeping it cold. Use professionally cleaned small swimming crabs. Check that gills, stomach sac and apron are removed; remove any shell fragments. Cut each body into bite-size sections with dedicated shears. Rinse briefly only if needed, drain thoroughly and pat away excess water. Rinsing is cleaning, not a germ-killing treatment.

    Prepare the crab while keeping it cold. Use professionally cleaned small swimming crabs. Check that gills, stomach sac and apron are removed; remove any shell fragments. Cut each body into bite-size sections with dedicated shears. Rinse briefly only if needed, drain thoroughly and pat away excess water. Rinsing is cleaning, not a germ-killing treatment.

  5. Step 5

    Step 5: Coat gently and chill. Put the drained crab in a clean lidded container. Add the cold thick sauce, onion and half the spring onion. Turn the pieces with clean tongs until coated without crushing the flesh. Cover and refrigerate at 4°C or colder for 2 hours. Chili changes flavor; it does not make raw crab safe.

    Coat gently and chill. Put the drained crab in a clean lidded container. Add the cold thick sauce, onion and half the spring onion. Turn the pieces with clean tongs until coated without crushing the flesh. Cover and refrigerate at 4°C or colder for 2 hours. Chili changes flavor; it does not make raw crab safe.

  6. Step 6

    Step 6: Serve a small cold portion. Transfer the crab to a clean plate and add the remaining spring onion and optional sesame. Use crab tools and check for sharp shells. Keep the rest chilled. For this home recipe, consume within 24 hours of mixing, respecting any shorter supplier limit, and discard the sauce that touched raw crab. Do not save it for another batch.

    Serve a small cold portion. Transfer the crab to a clean plate and add the remaining spring onion and optional sesame. Use crab tools and check for sharp shells. Keep the rest chilled. For this home recipe, consume within 24 hours of mixing, respecting any shorter supplier limit, and discard the sauce that touched raw crab. Do not save it for another batch.

03 / Enjoy your meal

Finished dish

Finished dish: Yangnyeom gejang — spicy marinated raw crab
Yangnyeom gejang — spicy marinated raw crab
Helpful tips

A level eating spoon here is about 15 ml, a small teaspoon about 5 ml, and a small paper cup about 180 ml. Use the same spoon and cup throughout; household sizes and ingredient weights vary. This traditional version contains raw seafood. Soy sauce, chili, vinegar, alcohol and home freezing do not reliably destroy harmful germs; marinating is not cooking. Even seafood sold for raw consumption can cause illness. Children, pregnant people, older adults and anyone with liver disease or weakened immunity should avoid the raw version and choose the fully cooked alternative. Buy from a regulated supplier who can confirm the seafood is intended for raw consumption and has remained cold; this reduces some risks but does not make it risk-free. Follow local recalls and any shorter supplier use-by limit. Keep at 4°C or colder, thaw only in the refrigerator, and use separate clean utensils. Cover cuts on your hands. Discard seafood with an uncertain cold chain; smell and appearance cannot prove safety. Cooked alternative: steam or boil the same cleaned crab until its thickest meat is at least 63°C, firm, pearly and opaque; small halved crabs often need about 12–15 minutes after steaming resumes. Cool promptly, use clean tools and fold the cooked meat or pieces into freshly made sauce. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and serve the same day. Texture and taste differ from raw gejang. The short raw storage rule is conservative and is not a safety guarantee.

Enjoy every bite

How to enjoy it

Taste a small amount of the spicy dressing first. Alternate the strongly seasoned crab with a plain-tasting rice bite and a soft cooked egg side.

Serve it with