Have you ever tried soft-shell crab? This unique delicacy comes from blue crabs in the Gulf of Thailand that shed their exoskeleton to grow, leaving their shells soft for just a few days. Thailand is renowned for serving some of the best soft-shell crab dishes in the world. In this recipe, we show you how to prepare one of our favorites: soft-shell crab with garlic and pepper. It's quick, easy to make, and absolutely delicious!
Serves 2.
2 soft-shell crabs, washed and dressed (face, gills and apron removed), cut in half
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 egg, lightly beaten 1 coriander root 1 garlic clove 1 teaspoon white peppercorns 2 tablespoons water 1 tablespoon oyster sauce ½ teaspoon coconut sugar 2 tablespoons tempura flour 1 tablespoon of smaller garlic cloves, unpeeled 1 coriander sprig, coarsely chopped Vegetable oil for frying Marinate the crab in a mixture of oyster sauce and beaten egg for about 10 minutes. To prepare the pepper sauce, pound the coriander root, garlic clove, and peppercorns in a mortar until smooth. Briefly fry the paste in a tablespoon of oil. Add oyster sauce, water and sugar, mix and remove from the heat. Crush the smaller garlic cloves coarsely, just open them a little. Do not peel the skin. Drain the crabs and roll them in the flour. Fry at 180°C for about two minutes or until golden. Turn off the heat and, while leaving the crab in the hot oil, add the crushed garlic. Brown the garlic for one minute. Drain garlic and crab on kitchen paper. Transfer to a serving plate. Serve with the prepared pepper sauce and garnish with chopped coriander.
Tip: The crab marinade (egg and oyster sauce) can be cooked into a thin omelette.
This recipe is featured in our cookbook dedicated to Thai starters and snacks! Visit our online store to grab your copy and explore more flavorful creations.
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