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CRAB IN COCONUT SPICED SAUCE

Ingredients

  • 3-4 pieces Crabs (Mangrove crab or Spanner crab) washed,

    cleaned and boiled

  • 1/4 cup Annatto oil (heat ¼ cup oil + 1 tablespoon annatto seeds)
  • 1/4 cup garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons ginger, finely chopped
  • 2 pieces onions, finely chopped
  • ½ cup crab paste (fermented guts and roe of crab)
  • ½ cup crab fats (innards and roe of fresh crustaceans)
  • ¼ cup prepared latik, without oil
  • 2 teaspoons each of spices, roasted (turmeric, chili powder,

    paprika and curry powder)

  • 3-4 pieces Bird’s eye red chilies, chopped
  • 2-3 cups crab water (from the boiling of crabs)
  • 1 ½ cups coconut cream
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a stewing pot or braising pot, heat up Annatto oil then pan sauté garlic, ginger and onions until aromatic.

  2. Add the crab paste, crab fats and the prepared “latik” continue sautéing for another 3-5 minutes or until the crab fats are cooked.

  3. Put all the spices and chilies into the crab mixture and continue cooking for another 2 minutes or until the spices become aromatic.

  4. Place the boiled crabs onto the pot then add the crab water, coconut cream and brown sugar and bring the mixture into a boil and continue cooking for another 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

  5. Lower the heat and bring to a simmering stage until it reduces to a thickened sauce.

  6. Garnish the dish with chopped cilantro before serving.

Recipe Notes

Yield:
4-6 servings

NOTE:
• To pan roast your ground spices, use a dry pan and stir them with a wooden spoon or just simply shake them. Make sure to heat your spices slowly, use only a low to medium-low heat. Do not burn your spices it will give a bitter taste. 
• To make a “Latik” heat 2 cups of coconut milk in a pan and let it simmer until the oil separates from the mixture (solid part is the Latik). Pour off the excess oil.  Continue cooking until slightly brown. Quickly remove from heat to prevent latik from burning. Strain the latik and use.
• a 1kg mud crab should take about 10 minutes to cook in a boiling salted water while Spanner crab will take around 10-12 minutes to cook.