A family favourite, try this classic salted egg yolk crab dish if you’re craving fresh seafood in a creamy, spicy sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 crabs (750 g each), use live mud crabs
- 5 salted egg yolks (raw), from wet market
- 2 tbsps vegetable oil
- 20 g chopped garlic
- 4 chilli padi, optional
- 1 stalk curry leaves (optional)
- 1¼ tsps white pepper powder
- 100 g butter
Steps
Kill live crabs by piercing the underside of the belly. Drain off urine. Remove twine only when crabs stop moving. Prise off the shell. Chop the body into two, remove internal organs and crack claws in a pestle and mortar for quicker cooking and easier eating later. Keep chopped-up crabs in the chiller, covered, not more than 1 hour.
Put 2 cups water in a two-tier steamer. When water boils, place crabs in top layer for 7 to 8 mins over high heat till shells turn red.
In the meantime, crack open raw salted eggs and drain off whites. Salted egg yolks are not as runny as normal yolks; mash with fork.
In a large wok, heat 2 tbsps cooking oil on high heat. Add chopped garlic and stir-fry till fragrant, about 2-3 mins. Add chilli padi and curry leaves (plucked from stalks) and stir-fry for 20 secs over medium high heat, till chillies and leaves are lightly crispy.
Add mashed egg yolk and pepper. Next, add butter and fry till foamy, 4-5 mins. Add steamed crabs and fry till they’re coated with yolk, about 4 mins.