Chinese Style Chilli Crab & Indigenous Greens

Elena Duggan

Ingredients:

Crab and Chili

  • 1.5kg Blue Swimmer crabs
  • 50g Peanut oil
  • 25g Salted black beans
  • 15g Ginger, peeled, and finely diced
  • 1clove Garlic, peeled, and finely diced
  • 1med Red onion, finely sliced
  • 2lge Red chilies, deseeded and finely diced
  • 2 Birds eye chilies, deseeded and finely diced
  • 75g Chinese wine
  • 25g Sesame oil
  • 25g Chinese black vinegar
  • 25g Tamari (GF soy sauce)
  • 25g Stevia Monkfruit

Vegetables

  • 15g Peanut oil
  • 15g Sesame oil
  • 2lge Red chilies, deseeded and finely diced
  • 2cloves Garlic, finely diced
  • 150g Saltbush leaves
  • 250g Mixed Indigenous greens such as warrigal, crystal ice plant, karkalla, samphire – leaves only
  • 100g Liquid stock
  • 15g Tamari
  • Salt, to taste

Method:

Preparing the Crab

  1. To kill the crabs humanely, place them in the freezer for 2 hours.
  2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
  3. Once the crabs are no longer moving, plunge them into the boiling water for about 60 seconds or just until the shells begin to turn red. Remove the crabs from the water and set them on a baking sheet to cool.
  4. Remove the top shell from each crab body and clean the insides with your fingers.
  5. Using a large sharp knife cut the main body of each crab into 4 pieces.

Cooking the Crab

  1. Place a large wok over high heat. When it is hot, pour the peanut oil into the wok.
  2. Add the black beans, ginger, garlic, onion, chilies, and stir for 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
  3. Add all the crab pieces, and stir for 5 minutes.
  4. Add the Chinese rice wine and stir for 3 minutes, or until the wine is reduced by half.
  5. Combine the sesame oil, vinegar, tamari, and stevia in a small bowl, and drizzle the mixture over the crabs.
  6. Toss to combine and cook for 2 minutes, or until the crab is just cooked through, set aside.

Vegetables

  1. To stir-fry the greens, place the peanut oil and sesame oil in a wok set over high heat.
  2. Add chili and garlic and stir-fry for one minute or until just fragrant.
  3. Add saltbush and greens along with tamari and chicken stock and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until greens wilt.
  4. Return crab and sauce to wok and toss well to combine. Season to taste. Serve immediately.

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