Crispy Salt and Pepper Soft Shell Crabs

Ingredient:

• 6 soft shell crabs, cleaned, halved
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots (from 2 large shallots)
• 1 cup thinly sliced red and green hot chilies (such as Thai chilies, red jalapenos, serranos, and habanero)
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons Chinese rice wine (Shaoxing) or sake
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, plus more to taste
• 3 egg whites
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 4 cups peanut oil
• 12 scallions, whites and pale green parts cut into 1-inch pieces, green parts thinly sliced
• 5 dried red chiles