This dish originated from Singapore and it is still famous up to now. You can find it in hawker stalls and restaurants there and in Malaysia. Despite the name it is not that spicy. It has a thick sauce that accents the sweetness of the crabs.
Ingredients:
2 fresh Dungeness crabs
1/4 cup tomato ketchup
2 tablespoons hot chili paste
1/2Â cup flour
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 cloves, grated
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon tamarind paste or tamarind juice
4 tablespoons peanut oil
4 scallions, sliced thinly
1Â knob sized fresh ginger (1 inch), peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
Wash the crabs well and then cut them in half with a large cleaver. Rinse them in running water and remove the gills and spongy yellow parts. Coat the crabs in flour.
In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of peanut oil under medium heat. Fry the crabs until the shells turn red. Turn at least once. Transfer the crabs to a plate.
In the same skillet, add more oil. Saute the garlic, onions, ginger and scallions for 3-5 minutes or until the onions are soft. Add the ketchup, oyster sauce, tamarind paste, chili paste, grated cloves and soy sauce. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add the crab to the sauce until the meat is cooked and it turns white.
Serve warm with rice.
Photo Courtesy Of: Phil~