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2kg (4 lb 8 oz) blue swimmer crabs
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp grated palm sugar or soft brown
sugar
1-2 tbsp peanut oil
150g (5.5 oz) butter
2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
1 small red chili, seeded and finely
chopped
1.5 tbsp ground black pepper
1 spring onion (scallion), green part
only, thinly sliced on the diagonal |
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Method :
Wash the crabs
well with a stiff brush. Pull back the apron and remove the top shell from
each crab (it should come off easily and in one piece). Remove the
intestine and the grey leathery gills. Using a large sharp knife, cut the
crab lengthways through the centre of the body to form two halves with the
legs attached. Cut each half in half again, crossways. Crack the thicker
part of the legs with the back of a heavy knife or crab crackers to allow
the flavor to get into the meat and make it easier for your guests to
break them open to access the crab meat.
Combine the soy
sauce, oyster sauce and palm sugar in a small bowl. Heat a wok to very
hot, add 1 tbsp of the oil and swirl to coat the side of the wok. When the
oil is just starting to smoke, add the crab pieces in a few batches,
stir-frying over over high heat for 4 minutes, or until the shells turn
bright orange all over, using a little more oil if needed. Remove from the
wok.
Reduce the heat
to high, add the butter, garlic, ginger, chili and pepper and stir-fry for
30 seconds, or until fragrant, then add the soy and oyster sauce mixture
and simmer for a further minute, or until glossy. Return the crab to the
wok, cover, and cook, stirring every minute for 4 minutes, or until the
crab is cooked through. Sprinkle with spring onion and serve immediately
with rice, accompanied by small bowls or warm water to wash off sticky
fingers.
Notes - The
seeds and membrane contribute most of the heat in chilies, so don't remove
them if you prefer a spicier sauce. This dish is very rich. In Singapore,
this crab is served with paper bibs as it is very messy to eat - a paper
towel or napkin will do just as well.
Variation - You
can use any variety of raw crab for this recipe.
Serves 4
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