SALTED EGG YOLK CRAB

Salty, sweet and creamy with salted egg yolk sauce, this crab dish is a hit at Singapore seafood eateries
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time15 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: crab, seafood
Servings: 4

Equipment

  • wok or large deep pan

Ingredients

  • 2 large live mud crabs cleaned and cut into quarters
  • 5 cooked salted egg yolks mashed
  • Handful curry leaves
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 5 tbsp tapioca flour for coating
  • ½ cup groundnut oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • ½ cup evaporated full cream milk
  • Salt to taste
  • Bunch coriander leaves for garnish
  • Bunch large iceberg lettuce leaves to line serving platter

Instructions

  • Prep the crab: Gently crack the claws of the cleaned brab without removing any shell. Springle the crab with tapioca flour to coat.
  • Fry the crab: On medium-high heat, heat a wok until smoking hot and pu in 1/4 cup of the groundnut oil. When the oil is hot, fry the crab until it turns red, about 3 minutes. Remove the crab and set aside.
  • Make the salted egg sauce: Turn down the heat to medium and discard all but 2 tbsp of the oil. Fry the minced garlic and curry leaves until fragrant. Lower the heat and add the butter and mashed salted egg yolks. Stir constantly to create a frothy foam. Stir in the evaporated milk, sugar and salt.
  • Ticken the sauce: The tapioca coating on the crab and evaporation will ticken the salted egg yolk sauce as it cooks. Continue to stir until you reach the consistency of cream. Add a little warm water if it is too thick. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  • Crab toss, garnish and serve: Return the crab to the wok and toss for a few seconds until all the crab is well coated with the salted egg yolk sauce. Dish the crab out to a serving platter lined with iceberg lettuce leaves. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve immediately.