Beer Battered Soft Shell Crabs with Asian Dipping Sauce

Directions

1. 1

   beer batter: 1 cup all purpose flour plus extra -- for dusting 12 ounces beer -- reserving 4 ounces -- to thin batter if -- necessary sauce:

2. 2

   Pour 1 cup of the beer into the well and whisk until the mixture is just combined

3. 3

   Strain the batter through a sieve into a clean bowl and let it rest, covered, for 1 hour

4. 4

   Before using batter, whisk in additional beer, if necessary, to achieve desired consis tency

5. 5

   In a small bowl whisk together the lime juice, fish sauce and honey until disso lved

6. 6

   Add the water, garlic, scallion and chili slices

7. 7

   Set aside

8. 8

   Place cleaned crabs in a shallow dish and add enough milk to cover