Spicy Crabs Songkhla Style

When I was kids my mum used to cook sweet sour crab. And I love it! I can finish big bowl of rice with the eggy gravy. If you prefer hot and spicy crabs I recommend this spicy crab Songkhla style (Songkhla, is a city in the Songkhla Province of southern Thailand). I have been cooking it for many times and still love it! Ooo…thinking of cooking it again… :D

Adapted and slightly modified from SAMBAL cookbook
Spicy Crabs Songkhla Style

Ingredients:
(A)
3 flower crabs

Some corn flour for coating

(B)

5 shallots
3 pieces bird chilies (cili padi)

3 pieces big red chilies
2 stalks lemongrass
3cm ginger

(C)

1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon chili paste
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon chili sauce

(D)
1 tablespoon tamarind paste (asam jawa)

*pour in 50ml hot water, mix and set aside for few minutes before squeezing the juice)
250ml water

*you might need less if you prefer less sauce

Salt and sugar to taste

1 egg, lightly beaten

Methods:

~Preparation

1. Clean and wash the crabs. Cut each crab into 6 pieces. Coat the cut surface with some cornflour (only coat when about to fry).

2. Mill ingredients (B) till fine paste.

~Cooking

1. Heat wok, add in 2-3 tablespoons cooking oil. Arrange crab pieces in wok (facing the coated surface directly in hot oil). Fry till turn golden brown. Dish up and set aside.

*Instead of deep fry in hot oil (which used a lot of oil!), we can choose pan fry to seal the meat. 

Coat the exposed surface with cornflour

Facing the coated surface directly in hot oil

Browned and the meat is sealed!

2. Add 1 tablespoon oil in wok. Together with the remaining oil in wok sauté the milled ingredients on medium heat until the oil separate. Follow by ingredients (C) and continue sauté until fragrant.

3. Add tamarind juice together with water. Taste the seasoning.

4. Return crab pieces into wok. Toss well, cover with lid and cook for few minutes (the shell will change orangey) till cooked. Add in beaten egg. Once the sauce thicken dish up and serve while hot. Enjoy!