FATTY CRAB'S CHILI CRAB

Fatty Crab's Chili Crab image

Matt Lee and Ted Lee snatched this recipe for chili crab from chef Zakary Pelaccio before the first Fatty Crab opened in New York. There are now locations in St. John and Hong Kong. With the restaurant, Pelaccio pays homage to a crab joint he frequented during a seven-month cooking stint in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This recipe calls for blue crabs and spices them up with chili sauce, garlic and ginger among much else. Serve with crab picks, cold beer and many napkins.

Provided by Matt Lee And Ted Lee

Categories dinner, project, main course

Time 20m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons chili sauce, like sriracha
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 cup chopped shallots (about 8 ounces)
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon peanut oil
8 blue crabs, cleaned and split, large claws slightly cracked
1 egg yolk, beaten
1/2 cup chopped scallions for garnishing

Steps:

In a large bowl, whisk the chili sauce, soy sauce, sugar, rice-wine vinegar, tomato paste and sesame oil with 1 1/4 cups water and reserve.
Place the shallots, garlic, ginger and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture becomes a smooth paste. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water.
Heat the peanut oil in a wok over high heat, and when it shimmers, add the shallot paste and fry for 30 seconds until very fragrant. Add the crabs and 1/3 of the chili sauce, and when the liquid simmers, continue to cook for 2 minutes, shaking the pan to cover the crabs with the sauce.
Add the remaining chili sauce to the pan, and when it reaches a simmer, turn the heat to medium-low, cover the pan and continue to simmer vigorously about 8 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch paste, and when the liquid in the pan thickens, turn off the heat. Add the egg yolk and stir again to combine. Divide the crabs and sauce among 4 plates, sprinkle with the chopped scallions and serve immediately, with crab picks and many napkins.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 188, UnsaturatedFat 4 grams, Carbohydrate 22 grams, Fat 6 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 11 grams, SaturatedFat 1 gram, Sodium 1001 milligrams, Sugar 10 grams