Chili Crabs

Chili Crabs

Ingredients

4 medium sized blue/mud crabs, washed thoroughly and cleaned

2 spring onions chopped

5-6 dry red chilies (de-seed some if you like it less hot)

3-4 flakes garlic

2” piece ginger

1 tsp sugar

1 tbsp white vinegar

6 black pepper corns

2 cups coconut milk

salt to taste

4 tbsp oil

Directions

Soak red chilies in some water for 20 minutes to hydrate them. In a blender grind red chilies, pepper corns, ginger and garlic to a paste with vinegar and a little water. Keep aside. Boil or steam crabs for 15-20 minutes with a little salt. Retain the stock.

In a wok or casserole heat oil and sauté the spring onions for 2 minute. Add the ground red chili paste and continue to sauté for 5 minutes or until the oil separates. Lower the heat, add the stock from the boiled crabs, sugar and stir. When the gravy starts bubbling, add the coconut milk and stir. Check seasoning. When the gravy thickens, place each crab carefully in the dish. With a ladle pour gravy on top of the crabs and let it simmer for few minutes. To serve, place a crab and its claws in a serving dish and ladle gravy on top.