2kg mud crabs, cleaned, gills removed, and broken into smaller pieces
30g white peppercorns, ground
60g butter, cubed
60ml neutral-flavoured cooking oil
30g piece fresh ginger, sliced
100g small red Asian shallots, finely sliced
60g garlic, finely chopped
250ml Shaoxing rice wine
500ml chicken stock
60g spring onions, chopped into 5cm lengths plus extra, very thinly sliced, to garnish
caster sugar, to taste
1tsp cornflour, mixed into a slurry with 2tbsp water
Method
Crack the crab shells with a
pestle, or similar, to make it
easier to remove the flesh.
Heat a wok over a high heat.
Add the ground peppercorns
and toast for a few seconds
before adding the butter and
oil. Once the butter has melted,
add the ginger and shallots,
then toss through.
Add the garlic, stir through
for 30 seconds, then pour in
the rice wine and stock. Add
the crabs, cover the wok with a domed lid and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring halfway
through, until cooked through.
Add the spring onions. Check
the seasoning and add salt and
sugar to taste if needed.
Pour in the cornflour slurry,
allow to thicken, then remove
from the heat. Transfer to a
serving bowl and garnish with
the extra spring onion to serve.
RECIPES AND PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN FROM THE GOLDEN WOK BY DIANA CHAN, PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARMELLE HABIB (QUADRILLE, £26).
