Ingredients

Serves 4

Chilli tomato broth:
2 litres chicken stock
4 birds eye chillies, chopped
100g ginger, chopped
200g tomatoes, chopped
6 kaffir lime leaves
1 head garlic
1 bunch coriander roots
2 tablespoons palm sugar

Chilli mud crab:
1x1.2 kg mud crab
1 tbsp ginger oil
2 tomatoes, diced
1 birds eye chilli, julienned
1 knob ginger, julienned
12 sprigs coriander
12 basil leaves
2 tbsp crispy fried shallots

Coconut rice:
250g jasmine rice
250 mls water
100 mls coconut milk
1 piece pandan leaf (5 cm long)

Method

To make Chilli Tomato Broth:
Simmer all ingredients together in a large stockpot for 2 hours.

Strain the stock through a sieve, pushing the pulp firmly into the sieve with a wooden spoon to extract all the goodness.

Discard the solids and set the stock aside.

To make the Chilli Mud Crab:
Place the mud crab in the freezer for 1 hour until it falls asleep.

Flip the top shell off the crab to expose its insides. Flush out the stomach sac and appendages under running water.

Cut the crab into 6 pieces. Crack the large claws with a hammer or nutcracker. Heat the wok and add ginger oil. Stir fry the crab pieces until they are red. Add the chilli tomato broth and place a lid over the wok. Check the large claws, as they take the longest to cook.

The flesh should be white to the cartilage and come away easily when pressed with a knife.

Add the tomatoes, chilli, ginger, coriander and basil.  Toss to distribute the flavours.

To make Coconut Rice:
Wash rice thoroughly under running water. Combine all ingredients. Bring rice to the boil then simmer for 10 minutes in a well sealed pot. Allow rice to steam for a further 10 minutes.

To serve:
Spoon the crabs into a large serving dish. Simmer the remaining sauce.

Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more chilli if you like. Pour the sauce over the crabs.

Sprinkle with the crispy fried shallots and serve with coconut rice.