Name: Chilli crab
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 4 live mud crabs; 2 tablespoon peanut oil; 4 fresh long red chillies, seeded, chopped finely; 1/4 cup (50g) finely sliced fresh ginger,cut into long thin strips; 4 cloves garlic, chopped; 2 tablespoon fish sauce; 2/3 cup (160ml) tomato sauce; 1/2 cup (125ml) sweet chilli sauce; 1 1/2 cup (375ml) fish stock or water; 1/3 cup (75g) firmly packed brown sugar; 250 gram cherry tomatoes, halved; 4 green onions, cut into long thin strips; 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves

Chilli crab

Serve this chilli crab with finger bowls and plenty of napkins. Shellfish or nut crackers make breaking the claws easier and a long, narrow seafood fork helps remove the flesh.

Ingredients

4 live mud crabs

2 tablespoon peanut oil

4 fresh long red chillies, seeded, chopped finely

1/4 cup (50g) finely sliced fresh ginger,cut into long thin strips

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tablespoon fish sauce

2/3 cup (160ml) tomato sauce

1/2 cup (125ml) sweet chilli sauce

1 1/2 cup (375ml) fish stock or water

1/3 cup (75g) firmly packed brown sugar

250 gram cherry tomatoes, halved

4 green onions, cut into long thin strips

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves

Method

1.Freeze the crabs about 1 hour or until they are no longer moving. Place crabs upside down on a board. Lift the tail flap and insert the knife under the flap, straight down, all the way through the brain.

2.Remove the top shell and discard. Remove and discard the long feathery gills and shake out the grey or mustard-coloured substance. Clean by rinsing lightly and quickly.

3.Cut crabs in half lengthways, then cut each half into 3 pieces using a cleaver.

4.Crack the claws with a shellfish cracker, meat mallet or the back of a knife or cleaver.

5.Heat oil in a large wok. Stir-fry chilli, ginger and garlic until fragrant. Stir in sauces, stock and sugar; bring to the boil. Add the crab to the wok; toss until combined. Cover wok; simmer about 10 minutes or until the crab is just cooked through.

6.Stir in tomato and onion, stir until tomato has just softened. Season to taste with salt or extra fish sauce. Add coriander; toss to combine.

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Ingredients

Method

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