Chile Crab
This finger-licking dish is very messy but delicious to eat. Forget the utensils and just use your hands to eat this. Get the crackers ready and have some toasted bread on the side to sop up the sauce.
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- 3shallots, peeled
- 4red chile peppers
- 4whole crabs, cleaned and quartered
- 2tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3cloves garlic, chopped
- 1(1/2 inch) piece fresh ginger, chopped
- 3tablespoons ketchup
- 2tablespoons vinegar
- 2tablespoons white sugar
- 2eggs, beaten
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 1tablespoon water, or as needed
- 1small bunch fresh cilantro, stems removed and leaves chopped
Instructions
Step 1
Combine shallots and red chile peppers in a food processor; pulse until a very fine paste forms.Step 2
Crack the crab claws and the big legs slightly.Step 3
Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot; add crabs and cook until shells change color and meat is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer crabs to a plate, reserving oil in the wok.Step 4
Reduce heat under wok to medium-low and add chile pepper paste; cook and stir until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add garlic and ginger. Whisk ketchup, vinegar, and sugar together in a bowl; pour over garlic-ginger mixture and stir until sauce is well mixed.Step 5
Return crab to sauce in the wok; cook and stir for 3 minutes more, seasoning with salt and pepper. Pour eggs into wok while continuously stirring to create strands in the sauce. Add water if sauce gets too dry. Remove wok from heat and garnish crabs with cilantro.