Singapore Chilli Crab

Preparation Time: 35 Minutes

Cooking Time: 15 Minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• 2 brown crabs
• 5 tbsp sunflower oil
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 3cm ginger, cut into matchsticks
• 2 large red chillies, deseeded and halved
• 8 cherry tomatoes
• 4 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 3 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp tom yom paste
• 100ml water
• 2 spring onions
• A small bunch of coriander, roughly chopped
• Fresh chilli round

Method:

1. Cook the crabs in salted boiling water for 13 minutes. Set aside and leave to cool.
2. Chop the spring onions into 4cm pieces. Chop them again lengthways into fine strips. Place into a bowl of iced water and leave for 10-15 minutes to curl up for the garnish.
3. Twist the claws and legs off the cooked crabs. With a large chef knife, carefully crack each section of the claws and legs and put to one side.
4. Separate the shell from the main body of the crab. Discard the tail and feather-like gills. Cut the body in half and place with the legs and claws.
5. Using a spoon, scrape out the brown meat from the shell and put it into a bowl. Wash out the shell and save for plating up.
6. In a wok or large frying pan, heat the sunflower oil on a medium heat. Fry the garlic and ginger for 2 minutes, then turn up the heat and add the cherry tomatoes, halved chillies, and chilli rounds. Fry for 2 more minutes.
7. Add in the brown crab meat, tomato ketchup, soy sauce, and tom yum paste. After another minute, add 100ml water and bring to the boil. Mix well.
8. Place the remaining crab body into the pan and fry until piping hot.
9. Assemble the mixture with the crab claws and tails into a tall pile. Place one of the crab shells on top of each serving.
10. Drain the spring onions and garnish each crab pile. Sprinkle over the chilli rounds and chopped coriander.
11. Serve immediately with finger bowls and napkins.