Stir Fry Spicy Crab

A fragrant, really spicy and a little sourish crab dish that has the 'kick'.  Taste different from the usual sweet and sour crabs.  The grounded spices makes the gravy thick instead of  using cornstarch and egg as thickening.  Goes well with plain rice.

Ingredients

[serves 3-4]

600 gm mud crabs - cleaned and cut into halves

2 lemon grass lightly smashed

1 sprig curry leaves - washed and wipe dry

1 cup water  or enough to cook crabs

1/2 cup oil

Spice Ingredients [Grounded]

100 gm shallots

3 cloves garlic

20 gm ginger

6 red chillies

1 tbsp chilli boh -omit if you do not want it too spicy

1 tsp tumeric powder

1/2 tbsp belacan stock granules

Seasoning

2 tbsp tomato sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

salt and sugar to taste

1. Heat oil in wok.  Fry curry leaves and lemongrass until fragrant.  Add in the grounded spices.  Fry on low heat until aromatic and oil rises.
2. Put in the crabs and stir fry for several minutes [add some water if too dry] until ingredients are well combined and crabs turning red.  Pour in water.  Add seasoning and bring crab to a boil.  Cover to cook through crabs.
3. Simmer for 5-10 minutes or until crabs are cooked.  Taste too adjust seasoning and continue to cook until gravy is slightly thick.