Ingredients
- 2 kg (4 lb 8 oz) blue crabs
- 150 g (5 1/2 oz) butter
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
- 1 small red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon palm sugar or soft brown sugar
- 1 spring onion (scallion), green part only, sliced thinly on the diagonal
Method
1. Pull back the apron and remove the top shell from each crab (it should come off in one piece). Remove the intestine and the grey feathery gills, then use a sharp knife to cut the crab in half lengthways, leaving the legs attached. Crack the thick part of the legs with the back of a heavy knife or crab crackers to make it easier to extract the meat.
2. Heat a barbecue flat plate or chargrill plate to medium-high direct heat. Cook the crabs for 5-8 minutes on each side, or until they turn orange and are cooked through. Heat a wok over medium heat (you'll need to do this on the stovetop if you don't have a wok burner on your barbecue), and stir-fry the butter, garlic, ginger, chilli and pepper for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the combined soy and oyster sauces and sugar and simmer for 1 minute or until glossy.
3. Toss the cooked crab in the sauce until it is completely coated, then arrange it on a serving dish, sprinkle with the spring onion and serve with steamed rice and a green salad. This dish is very rich and very messy to eat, make sure there are plenty of paper towels or napkins on hand to clear up spills.
