Crab in Coconut Milk

 

If my mother-in-law knows how to use speed dial (I'm pretty sure she doesn't), I'm certain this person would be on it (apart from her one and only son of course). I'm talking about Ah Sang, the fishmonger who diligently comes by every week. He'll park his truck in front of her house and housewives for near and far will come over to buy their weekly supply of greens and seafood. He also sells the odd sundry items and takes orders via sms. How cool is that!

Well last week I put in a request for a couple of flower crabs because Ah Sang always brings meaty ones. When I received them, my mother-in-law (bless her) had the crabs cleansed and ready for cooking. She normally cooks her crabs in coconut milk, which both my husband and I love, but I tend to stick with the healthier option of just boiling them in water with lemongrass, garlic, ginger, red chilies, tumeric and salt. My husband, on the other hand, loves chili crabs (who doesn't).

This time, I've succumbed to the coconut.

Crab in Coconut Milk (Ketam Masak Lemak)
Ingredients:
8 flower crabs, shelled, cleansed and halved
2 stalks lemongrass, bruised
3 tumeric leaves, torn into strips
1 inch ginger, skinned and sliced
1 red onion, quartered
3 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
3 green chilies, roughly cut
2 tsps ground tumeric
2 tsps chili powder
Cream and milk of 1 coconut
2 'asam keping' or 'asam gelugor'
800 ml water
Salt to taste

Method:
Place the lemongrass, onion, garlic, ginger, green chilies, ground tumeric and chili powder in a large pot, pour the water and bring everything to the boil. Then add the crabs, coconut cream and milk, tumeric leaves, 'asam keping' and salt, gently simmer (with lid on) until the crabs are cooked (their markings should turn orange red).

Best eaten with a plate of hot, steamed rice. I added stir-fried asparagus and cherry tomatoes as a side dish. Oh, and be sure to have an empty bowl near you to discard the remaining shell :)