SALT AND PEPPER RED CRAB (CUA RANG MUOI)

Salt and Pepper Red Crab (Cua Rang Muoi) image

Provided by ImPat

Categories Crab

Time 30m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 12

800 g crabs (live or raw)
vegetable oil (for deep frying)
potato starch (for dusting)
3 red shallots (finely diced)
2 garlic cloves (finely diced)
3 spring onions (scallions cut into 5cm lengths)
2 chilies (red long thinly sliced diagonally)
jasmine rice (to serve)
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon white pepper (fine)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder

Steps:

To make the seasoning, combine all ingredients in a bowl.
To prepare your crabs humanely, place them in the freezer for 1 hour or submerge them in an ice bath for 5 minutes.
Remove the upper shell of the crab, pick off the gills, which look like little fingers and discard.
Clean the crab under running water and drain.
Place the crab on its stomach and chop the crab in half with a heavy cleaver.
Next, divide each half into 4 pieces, chopping each piece after each leg (if your crabs are small cut each half into 2 pieces).
With the back of the cleaver, gently crack each claw - this makes it easier to extract the meat.
Heat the oil in a wok to 200C (400F) or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil browns in 5 seconds).
Dust the crab pieces with potato starch, shaking of any excess.
Deep fry the crab in batches for 3 minutes, turning over once until golden brown.
Remove from the wok and drain on kitchen paper.
Remove the oil, reserving 2 tablespoons and clean the wok.
Heat the reserved oil in the work, then add the shallots and garlic and fry until fragrant.
Return the crab to the wok with the spring onion and chilli and add the salt and pepper seasoning to taste.
Serve with jasmine rice and finger bowls.