One-pot chilli mud crab

To choose the freshest crab, simply turn them over and give their belly a little press. You're looking for firm flesh, with very little give.

Credit: Taste of the Tropics

• serves

  4

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 2 large live mud crabs (see notes)
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 400 g mixed seafood (try periwinkles, mud mussels, oysters, whelks, scallops or kurrallin), cleaned
• Brandon’s chilli sauce, (see notes, or use sambal oelek), to taste
• 25 g butter
• 4 lemon wedges

Chilling time: 35 min

Instructions

1. To prepare the crabs, place your thumb under the back of the mud crab carapace and pull it off. Rinse the crab in cold water and discard the carapace (or freeze to make stock).

2. Using a large sharp knife or cleaver, cut the crab into quarters by cutting it in half vertically down the centre, then dividing each half so you have one claw and two legs for the front portion and two legs and a flipper for the back portion. Lightly tap the back of the claws with the back of a knife to crack the shell. This allows the steam to enter during cooking.

3. Heat the coconut oil in a large, heavy - based saucepan over high heat. Add the garlic and stir until just starting to brown. Add the crab pieces and stir to coat well, then stir in the remaining seafood.

4. Add enough chilli sauce to suit your taste, stir to combine well, then add the butter and stir again.

5. Cook, stirring regularly for 5 - 10 minutes or until the crab is just cooked through. Squeeze the lemon wedges into the pan, stir to combine well, then season to taste and serve.

 

Notes

• To dispatch your crabs humanely, submerge them in an ice bath for 35 minutes.

• To make Brandon’s chilli sauce, fill a 250 g (1 cup) capacity sterilised  jar with chopped red birdseye chilli. Add a good pinch of salt, then fill the jar with enough malt vinegar to cover the top of the chillies. Seal and stand in a cool dark place for at least 3 months before using.

This recipe and image is from Taste of the Tropics - Iconic Far North Queensland.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.