Chilli Crabs or Lobster

INGREDIENTS

• 450 gm lobster or crabs
• 6 fresh red chillies
• 5 cloves garlic
• 2 stalks spring onions
• 1 bunch coriander
• 3 tbs vegetable oil
• 3 tbs tomato ketchup
• Sugar to taste
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pounded salted brown soya bean paste
• 1 cup water
• 1 1/2 tsp cornflour
• 1/2 tsp rice or malt vinegar of freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 tsp dark soya sauce

Ingredients for sauce.

Using fresh crabs or lobster will make a big difference when making this dish, however frozen ones will work just as well.

• Wash uncooked shellfish well
• Break off the claws and crack the shell by gently hitting it with a pestle
• When preparing crabs, chop the bodies in half and then each half into 3 pieces
• Wash and retain the shells
• When using lobsters, chop off the tail and head, and chop the body, with shell still on, into thumb length pieces
• Plunge head and tail of lobster into boiling water and cook till the shell turns red
• Remove from water and set aside for decoration

• Peel garlic and chillies and grind in food processor
• Wash spring onions, discard roots, cut into finger lengths
• Cut coriander into one-inch lengths
• Mix sauce ingredients except for the vinegar or lime juice
• Heat wok, add oil and when hot, add the garlic, stir fry for one minute, add chillies, stir fry for another minute and add crab or lobster pieces
• Stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes till shells turn slightly red
• Stir sauce, add to the crabs or lobster and stir well for 2 minutes
• Cover with a lid and let simmer over high heat for 5 to 7 minutes till shells turn red
• Remove cover, squeeze the lime juice over or add the vinegar, stir well and add spring onions. Turn heat off, stir well and serve, garnish with coriander leaves