Entree: Malaysia – Malaysian Chinese – Kam Heong Crab (Stir-fried crab in a fragrant spicy-savoury sauce of curry leaves, dried shrimp and aromatics)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 15 min

Cook 15 min

Total 30 min

Ingredients

- 2 live mud crabs, approx. 1.3 lb (600 g) each, cleaned and halved
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) unsalted butter
- 6 shallots, thinly sliced, about 6 oz (170 g)
- 6 cloves garlic, minced, about 1 oz (28 g)
- 2 in (5 cm) fresh ginger, minced
- 8 bird's eye chilies, chopped, about 1.5 oz (45 g)
- 2 tbsp (20 g) dried shrimp, soaked 10 minutes then drained and roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp (15 g) belacan (shrimp paste), toasted and minced
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) curry powder
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) oyster sauce
- 1 tsp (5 g) sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) chicken stock
- 10-15 fresh curry leaves
- 2 scallions, sliced, about 1 oz (30 g)
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten, about 50 g
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Lime wedges for serving

Instructions

1. Rinse and clean the crabs, crack claws and halve bodies; set aside to drain.
2. Heat the oil and butter in a large wok or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots and stir-fry until softened and fragrant, about 2–3 minutes.
3. Add garlic, ginger, chilies, dried shrimp and belacan. Stir constantly until aromatic and oil turns reddish, about 2 minutes.
4. Sprinkle in curry powder and stir to coat the aromatics, cooking 30 seconds to bloom the spices.
5. Add the crab pieces to the wok and toss to coat with the paste. Pour in the chicken stock, light soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar. Increase heat to high, cover, and steam-cook for 6–8 minutes, turning once, until crab shells are bright and meat is cooked through.
6. Remove the lid and stir in curry leaves and scallions. Slowly drizzle the beaten egg around the edge of the wok while stirring gently to create silky strands in the sauce.
7. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Finish with a quick toss to coat and a final knob of butter for gloss if desired.
8. Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately with lime wedges and steamed rice.