Crab Quakes

Yes, it’s a funny name. It comes from no other than Korean-American Roy Choi, from his latest book The Choi of Cooking, published in 2025! It makes me laugh every time I see the title. In fact, I think I smiled while reading the whole book. He’s just a funny guy.

What’s not so funny is that Chef Choi had some issues with food while growing up, so this book is meant to motivate and teach. It’s also extremely personal. From the book cover: “Built on a foundation of balance and compassion, The Choi of Cooking is Roy Choi’s magnum opus, reflecting his personal journey of cooking, living, and learning from mistakes.”

Choi’s recipes are creative but not meant to overwhelm. He introduces foods that one should have on hand in the chapter “You are your pantry, Your pantry is you”. He then moves on to vegetable-forward recipes meant to satisfy. Some recipes seem the opposite of creative, like Crispy Mashed Potatoes or Deviled Egg Sandos, but if you’re familiar with the chef, you know every single recipe will be fabulous.

On this blog I’ve made Spicy Pork and his addictive Sweet and Spicy Sauce. The latter blog post has terrible photos because I’d just had right hand surgery and it was in a cast, but believe you me. That stuff is amazing.

I wanted to make these “quakes” while my garden was still doing well. Last year I planted shiso so I could make Marinated Shiso, and use the leaves for Korean barbeque. This year the plants are trying to take over the garden! Also, my herbs and jalapenos are doing well.

And, of course these were named “quakes” by the Chef Choi because he lives in California! Instead of crab quakes, I keep thinking cwab cakes! What is wrong with my brain?!!

I used canned crab for the first time. It’s very good! Gently rinse and dry before using.

Crab Quakes
printable recipe below

10 to 12 perilla or shiso leaves
1 pound of lump crabmeat, picked over
1 large egg
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup whole-grain Dijon mustard (I used a little less)
1/4 panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons chopped scallions
2 tablespoons chopped jalapenos
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Extra virgin olive oil
Lemon wedges, for serving
Green Goddess, for serving

Chop a few shiso leaves until you get about 2 tablespoons. Add them to a large bowl, along with the crabmeat, egg, mayonnaise, mustard, panko, chives, scallions, chiles, lemon juice, Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce. Ever so gently combine.

Still with soft, light hands, form the mixture into 6 to 8 patties about 3 ounces each (a generous 1/4 cup) and as wide as the palm of your hand. Place on a large plate and refrigerate the crab cakes for 30 minutes to firm up.

In a large skillet, heat about 1 tablespoon oil over medium-low heat. When it begins to shimmer, add as many crab cakes as you can without overcrowding the pan. Cook until a pretty golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes.

Flip and cook the other side to golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining crab cakes, adding more oil between batches.

Serve the crab cakes with the rest of the shiso leaves, lemon wedges, and Green Goddess dressing. You take take a forkful and dunk it into the dressing, or tuck a little bit of a crab cake inside a shiso leaf, spoon a little bit of dressing on top, and enjoy.

Choi has his own Green Goddess Dressing in the book, but I’ve included a link in the ingredient list to one I’ve made that is very good. The chef includes spinach leaves in his for a much greener color. I did that as well!

These quakes were definitely delicate, and challenging to hold together, but for the most part, I did okay. They are definitely delicious, and fabulous with the green goddess dressing.