My Favourite Chilli Crab Recipe

Just like to share this favourite dish of mine. Good to try out if you are going to have friends over at your place to eat. Assure a mouth watering experience.

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 chilli, roughly chopped
2 eggs
2 spring onions (scallions), cut into finger length
1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 small bunch coriander plant (cilantro)
1 cup of Chicken stock soup
*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

Method
Heat the oil in a wok or shallow saucepan over high heat.
Add garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Add the chilli, stir-fry till fragrant.
For mud crabs, add at this stage.
Fry well till shells start turning red, add sauce ingredients and chicken stock soup stir well, cover with lid and simmer till shells are red.
Break eggs into the wok and streak with a fork, simmer till cooked. Add the lemon juice over and stir in the scallions.

For soft-shelled crabs, cut each crab into four, 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.

This unofficial ‘national dish’ is usually prepared with fresh succulent crabs in a hearty, sweet and spicy gravy and is best eaten with your fingers! Mop up the mouth-watering gravy with baguette, french loaf or Chinese mantou (buns).

Enjoy....