Everyone loves a feed of crab in Australia, especially in the state of Queensland, where we even turn part of the preparation of crab into a sport, crab tying contests!
This is a ripper of a feed and they'll be asking for more.
Serves 4.
Either 2 large crabs (Muddies) or 4 medium crabs (Sandies)
Quarter cup flour
Olive Oil
1 white onion
3 teaspoons (the ones you stir your tea with) crushed/minced garlic
4 mild chillis (Birdseyes are a good choice)
2 tins peeled tomatoes
1 teapsoon mixed dried herbs
2 tablespoons (the ones you eat your breakfast with) soy sauce
2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 cups white rice
1. Cook 2 cups of rice in water until cooked through (If you have a rice cooker, use it, they cook the best rice) and set aside.
2. Clean the crabs thoroughly, scrubbing the shells, as the crab is served shell and all.
3. Peel and chop the onion finely and chop the chilli up finely.
4. Cut the crabs in half and crack the nippers making them easier to eat later, see second photo above.
5. Splash a generous amount of olive oil into a wok and heat, throw in 2 crab halves at a time and heat through, continue with all the crab and set aside. (If using raw crabs, cook until shells turn red, if using already cooked crabs, cook for a few minutes only).
6. Now add the onion, chilli, garlic to the (empty) wok and cook for a couple of minutes, see third photo above.
7. Add the flour to about a cup of cold water and mix thoroughly so there are no lumps.
8. Add the flour/water mix to the wok (with the onion/chilli mix), along with the tomatoes, mixed dried herbs, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sweet chilli sauce, and sugar, bring to the boil and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occassionally and making sure the tomatoes break down, see fourth photo above.
9. Put the crabs back into the wok and mix through over a low heat, coating the crabs in the sauce. Cook through for about ten minutes if you are using raw crab or a few minutes if using already cooked crab. The crab meat should be nice and white when cooked.
10. Spoon the rice out onto a plate, along with the crab and sauce, and serve away.