Chilli Mud Crab

I love Mud Crabs! We are so lucky to live in Queensland where Mud Crabs are abundant. Many times The Fitter and I have chosen camping locations based on where we know we'll catch big and juicy Muddies.

This is a very special celebration dish that deserves to be shared with loved ones.

To make my Chilli Mud Crab I like to use Green Mud Crabs. Check out these big Daddies caught at The Fitters old stomping ground - Stanage Bay, QLD. Before we prepare the fresh ingredients put the Muddies in the freezer so they go to sleep.

Dice a generous knob of Ginger, one or two Jalapeno chillies and 4 cloves of garlic. The Jalapeno's come from my garden and I find that sometimes they are screaming hot or tamely mild. So, I’ve removed the seeds of the Jalapeno chillies to control the heat. Just in case.

Divide the coriander stems and leaves, finely chop the coriander roots and stems. The coriander roots are so fragrant so don’t discard them. You’ll see what I mean when you start sauteing the herbs. Diagonally slice the spring onions.

Now for the messy bit... cleaning the crabs. These daddies’s have been put to sleep in the freezer so make sure you do this next step quickly.

Remove the string, lift up the back flap of the Muddy. Using a knife lift the head shell and remove. Remove all the gills (old mans fingers) and gunk from the flesh. Break off the claws and wash the meat. Now This is where The Fitter and I disagree – He believes you should not wash the inside of the crab’s flesh and I think that you need to in order to remove all the gunk..

Here’s what your crab should now look like.

This knife scares me... It’s big and sharp and gets the job done. Segment the Muddies and cut into quarters.

The Nippers (claws) are by far my favorite part of the Mud Crab! The meat is sweet and juicy.. Using the back of your big knife firmly tap down on the shell exposing the sweet flesh.

LETS START COOKING!!!

I don’t have a wok so I’m using my big electric fry pan – Don’t judge me. It’s big enough and generates a even heat. Which is what you need for dish like this..

Start by frying off the garlic, chilli, ginger and coriander root – oops looks like the mints has been tossed in too ..

Add the Crab legs and bodies. Look at all that heat coming off the pan – yum it smells so good!

In go the nippers and the sauce mixture. Cover and let the Muddies steam.

Add the spring onions, coriander and mint leaves and stir though. Cook the crab for another minute or two. The Muddies are cooked when the thickest part of the crab’s flesh is white and firm.

Serve on steamed Jasmine rice...

Bon appétit.

Chilli Mud Crab

Ingredients
2 Green Mud Crabs
3 tablespoons Oil
4 Garlic Cloves (chopped)
1 - 2 jalapeño Chilli's (chopped)
2 tablespoons chopped Ginger
¼ Sweet Chilli Sauce
2 tablespoons Chinese hot sauce (Sriracha)
½ cup Water
½ cup chopped Spring onion
½ cup mixed Vietnamese mint leaves and coriander leaf
1 tablespoon chopped Coriander root
1 tablespoon Fish sauce
2 tablespoons Light Soy sauce

Method
1. Freeze the crabs (30 mins).
2. Prepare the fresh ingredients.
3. Clean the green mud crabs.
4. Cut into segments by dividing the bodies, removing the nippers.
5. Crack the nippers (claws).
6. Heat oil in a wok / extremely deep fry pan.
7. Add garlic, chilli, ginger & coriander root and cook until fragrant.
8. Add the crabs bodies, toss to combine.
9. Add sweet chilli sauce, water, hoi sin sauce, fish sauce, Sriracha.
10. (Hot sauce) and light Soy sauce.
11. Stir to combine the ingredients, bring to a simmer.
12. Cover and steam for about 10 – 15 minutes depending on the Muddies.
13. Add in the Spring onions and herbs and serve with steamed
Jasmin Rice.