Chilli Crab
Ingredients
1 lb (450g) mud crabs or soft shelled crabs
4 tbsp plain flour if using soft shelled crabs
3 tbsp vegetable oil*
8 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
8 fresh red chillies, roughly chopped
1 egg
2 spring onions (scallions), cut into finger length
1 tsp freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice
1 small bunch coriander plant (cilantro)
For soft-shelled crabs, oil for deep frying
Mix together for Sauce:
1 cup of water, 5 tbsp tomato catsup, 1 1/2 to
3 tbsp sugar, or according to taste, 1 1/2 tsp
cornflour, 1 tsp pounded brown preserved
soya beans or dark miso (optional), 1/4 tsp
salt
Instructions
Heat the oil in a wok or shallow saucepan over
high heat. Add garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Add the chillies, stir-fry till fragrant. For mud
crabs, add at this stage. Fry well till shells start
turning red, add sauce ingredients stir well, cover
with lid and simmer till shells are red. Break eggs
into the wok and streak with a fork, simmer till
cooked. Squeeze lime juice over and stir in
scallions. For soft-shelled crabs, cut each crab
into 4, dry well, dredge in flour and deep fry till
golden brown and crispy. Make the sauce as
above, but omit the mud crabs. Toss soft shelled
crabs in sauce just before serving.
