Chili crab
4 servings
Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | larges | Live Dungeness crabs, each |
| About 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 pounds | ||
| 10 | 12 fresh red chiles, stemmed | |
| Seeded and chopped or 6 | ||
| Dried Asian chiles | ||
| (3 inches long), stemmed, | ||
| Seeded, chopped and soaked | ||
| In warm water to cover | ||
| For 10 minutes, drained | ||
| 2 | tablespoons | Minced garlic, or to taste |
| 2 | tablespoons | Minced shallots |
| 1 | tablespoon | Finely grated gingerroot |
| 2 | tablespoons | Vegetable oil, plus |
| Additional | ||
| For the sauce: | ||
| ½ | cup | Ketchup |
| 1½ | cup | Water |
| 1 | tablespoon | Asian fish sauce, such as |
| Nam Pla | ||
| ⅓ | cup | Thai sweet chile sauce |
| 2 | tablespoons | Fresh lime juice |
| 1 | tablespoon | Cornstarch combined with 2 |
| TB water | ||
| 2 | larges | Eggs, lightly beaten |
| 3 | tablespoons | Sliced scallion for garnish |
| slice | White bread as an | |
| Accompaniment, if desired | ||
Directions
In a casserole or large pot of boiling salted water, add the crabs and cook them for about 1 minute, or until no longer moving. Drain and set aside until cool enough to handle.
To clean the crabs pull off top shells; pull and twist off each apron; remove gills. With sharp knife cut crabs into quarters, rinse and drain.
In mortar and pestle or small food processor pound or process chiles, garlic, shallots and ginger with a little oil if necessary.
Combine all sauce ingredients.
Heat a wok over moderately high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil and heat until hot. Add chili and garlic paste and stir-fry 1 minute. Add crabs and stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes or until shells turn red. Add sauce ingredients, bring to boil and simmer, covered, 5 to 7 minutes.
Transfer crabs to serving dish. Bring sauce in wok to a boil. Stir cornstarch mixture and add to wok.
Simmer until thickened. Gradually add eggs in a stream, whisking, and cook for 1 minute. Pour sauce over crabs and garnish with scallion.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Recommended Drink: Singha Beer
TASTE SHOW #TS4821