Spicy Crayfish with Thirteen Spices

Ingredients:

• 1kg crawfish (cleaned and deveined)

• 1 can of beer

• Garlic & ginger – to taste (sliced)

• Dried chili peppers & Sichuan peppercorns – to taste

• Onion, scallions, bay leaves, star anise, cinnamon – to taste

• 1 tbsp Pixian chili bean paste (Doubanjiang)

• 1 pack Chinese "Thirteen Spice" seasoning (optional)

• Light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, cooking wine – to taste

• Toasted sesame seeds & chopped scallions – for garnish

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Crawfish: Soak cleaned crawfish in water with a splash of cooking wine for 30 minutes.

2. Sauté the Aromatics: In a large wok or pot, heat oil. Sauté garlic, ginger, and onion until fragrant. Add Doubanjiang, dried chilies, Sichuan peppercorns, and whole spices. Stir-fry until aromatic.

3. Cook the Crawfish: Add crawfish and stir-fry until they turn bright red. Pour in the beer to just cover the crawfish.

4. Season and Simmer: Add "Thirteen Spice," light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar. Simmer uncovered for 10–15 minutes until the sauce thickens.

5. Finish and Serve: Transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and chopped scallions.