Hmm, after today's cooking at my mum's stall, I was tasked with another cooking, since she bought 4 meaty crabs from the fishmonger, who commented that its the crab season again. I haven't really cooked crabs myself, since my parents always cook it the way I like it best. Well but I guess there's always a start for everything, so my mum just asked me to cook it. I do know roughly how chilli crabs are prepared, and with a superior assistant in Yati, it was really quite easy.
The 4 crabs that are awaiting a certain end. =P
Well, a life ended in probably just over a minute or so. Its kinda cruel at the instant the knife is pierced through the middle, but for good food, that's how far you must go!
The crabs chopped half for a more appropriate serving, one half of a crab is roughly as meaty as a piece of chicken breast they serve at kfc I reckon.
Knocking 'slits' into the claws/joints in the crabs. This ensures the crabs are more thoroughly cooked, and its easier to crack them after when it makes its entrance onto the dining table. Care also has to be taken to scrub the crabs clean of mud or dirt. These crabs hail from Sri Lanka, pretty much clean since they hang out near the sea. There are crabs that live in mud, and are often too dirty to clean.
The above may look disgusting, but this is the essence of the crab!! The roe, or more like its nutrients are all found in here! Add this to the gravy of the chilli crab and you get a ultra flavourful sauce that goes well with either your rice or french loaf! Remember not to throw this away simply because of its not-so-pretty appearance.
Hmm, after a good 15 minutes of slaying and disembering, the preparation is ready. Much of the tedious work in cookery lies in the preparation, the actual cooking is pretty much simple. If you are able to prepare the crabs at this point, you are more than half done.
The battery of the camera had to go flat while I was preparing to cook, but anyways, to kick-off, simply add some oil, and throw in some diced garlic. Followed by the soybean paste, to give it the pretty standard taste. Chilli crab, of course must put chilli. Since I like it hot and spicy, its alot of chilli for me. Fry the mixture till you are greeted by the nice aroma, then put in the crabs. Add hot water till the wok is about 1/3 full, this forms your chilli crab gravy later. Put on the lid for a good 10 minutes.
There, the crabs turn a nice rosy red to complement the chilli gravy, well the crabs are almost cooked at this point, stir a little more, and remove the crabs, while keeping the flame on.
At this point, put in the nice roe, and 2 eggs, followed by some flour to give the gravy a good thick texture. I personally love it thick and saucey, goes extremely well with bread or rice alike, even noodles. Some like it soupy, that's up to personal taste/preferance. After the gravy is ready, just run it over the crabs you took out of the wok 1 minute ago..
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TADA, extremely tasty, juicy crabs, 4 for just an affordable price of $20. Haha, what a bargain right? Move away Zhen Fa, GH's crabs will own yours. Muahahaha. Ok lah, alot of friends haven't managed to taste it, save for 2 or 3 of my luckier friends. Trust me, it tastes even better than it looks. Haha.
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