with sweet tamarind and prosecco dressing, salted-peanut palm sugar caramel
Serves 4 (entrée size, 1 crab per person)
Chilli Soft Shell Crab
(fried in tempura batter)
Tempura Batter
½ cup plain flour
½ cup corn flour
1 tbsp dried chilli flakes
1 egg, lightly beaten
¾ cup soda water
Method
1. In a large bowl add plain flour, corn flour and chilli flakes.
2. Using chopsticks slowly add beaten egg and soda water, mix until combined. Batter should be of a thin consistency.
Fried Soft Shell Crab
4 soft shell crabs
Plain flour
Canola oil
To prepare crabs:
1. Turn the crab over so the white side is facing up and pull up the pointed ‘lever’ that reveals a flap and cut off the flap.
2. Turn the crab over again so the blue shell is facing up, and lift both pointy sides of the shell to reveal the lungs. Remove them.
3. Separate the top shell and lower body of the crab.
4. Rinse the crab parts in water, pat them dry with paper towel and set aside on a tray.
To cook crabs:
1. Lightly dust individual crab parts in flour.
2. Dip crabs in tempura batter.
3. Fry in hot oil until golden, set aside to drain on paper towel.
Green Mango Salad
2 green mangos, skin and seed removed, flesh julienned
(ask your green grocer to order these in advance)
2 tbsp pickled ginger, julienned
1 long red chilli deseeded, julienned
2 golden shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 spring onion stems, topped and tailed, thinly sliced on an angle
½ cup organic shredded coconut (unsweetened)
2 tbsp fried garlic chips
2 tbsp crispy-fried shallots
4 kaffir lime leaves, stem removed and finely julienned
½ small bunch coriander leaves
6 tbsp sweet tamarind and prosecco dressing
Method
1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and gently toss.
Sweet Tamarind and Prosecco Dressing
3 tbsp tamarind pulp
120ml warm water
3 tbsp palm sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp coconut vinegar (buy from Asian grocer)
3 tbsp good prosecco
Method
1. Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, stir until palm sugar has dissolved.
Salted-peanut Palm Sugar Caramel
150g palm sugar
200ml water
100g salted peanuts, dry-toasted and crushed
2 tbsp coconut vinegar (buy from Asian grocer)
Method
1. In a small saucepan add palm sugar and water, bring to boil on a high heat, then reduce heat slightly and cook until the liquid becomes golden in colour (caramelised).
2. Remove saucepan from heat then add coconut vinegar and crushed peanuts. Set aside to cool.
To Serve
1. Place crispy-fried lower crab body on a plate, add 2 tablespoons of green mango salad, top with crispy-fried crab shell lid.
2. Drizzle a generous amount of salted-peanut palm sugar caramel on the plate’s side.
3. Serve with an extra portion of green mango salad.
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