First the recipe for Young Lobster on October 1, then the dessert in last weekend's edition, and now a main course to complete a lovely Sea Specialties dinner for two.

It's the season of hairy crab, a delectable delicacy and a great joy for the city's connoisseurs.

Let's hear from a master. Here go the tips of executive chef Tsang Chiu-king of the two-Michelin star Ming Court at Langham Place in Mong Kok, for another add-on for your own compilation of recipes-to-cook-at-home.

Steamed whole hairy crab. Make sure the strings tying the claws together are intact. Do not remove them before cooking. First, lift the cover of the crab's belly up and wash away any dirt from the inside. Now place the hairy crab on a plate with its belly facing upward and cover its belly with 2 or 3 perilla leaves. Perilla is a member of the Mint family of herbs.

Now place a trivet in a wok or wide-mouthed pan, add water just below the trivet. When it boils put the crab on the trivet and steam until ready. The steam time will depend on the size. For a hairy crab weighing 6 taels (228g), you need to steam for 15-17 minutes. If it is larger, say, 8 taels (304g), it should be at least 20 minutes. A touch of yellow wine will add value to the dish. Once the hairy crab is cooked, remove the strings tied around it, and serve.

As an alternative to an all-crustacean dinner, you can replace the crab with a special kind of sea fish.

The orange roughy, a deep water fish, wasn't discovered until the 1970s. It lives very long and doesn't reproduce until it is 20 years old. The largest orange roughy can be found in New Zealand where roughy fishery was founded in 1970 around a seamount area (seamounts are undersea volcanoes) called Chatham Rise.

Its white flesh lends itself to a variety of preparations. It is very delicate so take extra care to make sure it doesn't break up. The flavor is very mild. It's best to avoid strongly flavored side dishes.

Its preparation demands a great deal of balance and proportion. If you overcook, the stuff will become dried out and tough.

Orange roughy fillets are often found in the deep-freeze section of supermarkets. The average length of the fish in New Zealand waters is 35cm, although some 60-cm fishes have been recorded in Australian waters.

Now the preparation method: Let the fillets thaw in the fridge, wipe them with a damp cloth and sprinkle both sides of the fish with salt and pepper (preferably white pepper). Or, to get a more succulent result, marinate the fish in a little olive oil with a sprinkling of sesame oil, ginger and garlic for an Asian flavor or add olives, oregano, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice to the olive oil for a more Mediterranean style.

There is an easier way, too.Put it in a two-sided grilling basket that holds the fish firmly between its two "leaves". This allows you to grill a delicate, thinly cut fish on one side and then easily turn it over. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and a pinch of dried thyme. Grill for a minute or two on each side and serve with lemon wedges and a garnish of finely chopped parsley. Other white fish, such as tilapia may be used instead.

(HK Edition 10/16/2010 page4)