Coconut Chili Crab Recipes

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop crabs in and cook until shells turn bright red, 8 to 10 minutes. Plunge crabs into ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside.
• Heat a large wok over medium-high heat and add garlic oil. Stir in garlic and cook until lightly toasted and golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion and ginger and saute until onion is translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add scallion whites. Season with a few pinches of salt and pepper.
• Add fish sauce and let infuse for 1 minute. Stir in shrimp paste and toast for about 3 minutes. Add Thai chiles; saute for 1 minute more. Pour in coconut milk and water. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes, adding more water if too dry.
• Meanwhile, break open the crab. Add to the sauce along with any accumulated juices. Simmer until flavors meld, 8 to 10 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Toss in spinach and let wilt. Garnish with scallion greens.

Steps:

• Lift top hard shell from crabs and use fingers to scrape insides. Wash, then split in half.
• Heat the oil in a large wok over high heat then stir-fry the crab pieces in batches until they turn pinky red. Remove and set aside.
• In the same wok, stir fry garlic, ginger and chili for 1 minute.
• Add the juice, waer, sauces and paste and simmer for 2 minutes.
• Blend in the coconut cream.
• Bring to the boil then return the crab to the wok.
• Simmer covered, for 4-5 minutes, adding a little water if the sauce reduces too much.
• Stir in the coriander and onions, then serve at once over steamed rice.