You may recall that some weeks ago we had our program where viewers could win Geoff to cook a meal for them. The Collins family of Hamilton, Brisbane were the winners and Geoff went to their home to cook mud crab for them.

Ingredients

• Peanut oil
• 2 heaped tbsp ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 cups shallots, sliced
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2-3 mild chillies or 1 red capsicum, seeded and sliced
• 4 mud crabs
• 1 tbsp ground white pepper
• 1/4 cup Shao hsing cooking wine
• 1 tbsp raw sugar
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• Potato starch

Method

1. If using live crabs, put them in the freezer for at least 2 hours; this is the most humane way of killing them. Alternatively cooked crabs can be used. Remove from the freezer and segment with a sharp, pointed knife. Clean the segments with a stiff bristle brush (Tip: an old tooth brush is perfect) and rinse in clean water.
2. Place the segments in a large bowl or tray and splash in the Shao hsing cooking wine and sprinkle with white pepper.
3. Steam the crab over boiling water for 25 minutes, no longer than 30 minutes (Tip: large Asian bamboo steamers are available from Asian supermarkets for around $5.00).
4. In a hot wok, add enough peanut oil to cover the bottom. Once hot, add the ginger, garlic and chilli (or capsicum, whichever you prefer).
5. When fragrant, add the spring onions and as soon as they have wilted add the raw sugar.
6. Simmer for a moment then add the chicken stock and bring to the boil.
7. Stir in enough potato starch to bring the sauce to a thick consistency (dissolve the potato starch in water before adding to the sauce). Corn starch is a suitable replacement.
8. In a large serving bowl or platter, combine the mud crab and sauce and serve.
9. Serve with short grain rice and asian greens such as gai lan, choy sum, and chilli sauces for dipping.

Copyright CTC Productions 2003