Ingredients

Serves 6

2kg live spanner crabs
½ green pawpaw, peeled and cut into julienne
1 bunch coriander
1 bunch mint
60 grams blanched peanuts
150 gm vegetable oil
6 x betel leaves to serve

Dressing:
100ml mirin
50ml fish sauce
20g palm sugar
Juice from 1½ limes
1-2 mild red chilli
2 cloves organic garlic
Salt & pepper

 

Method

Place crabs in freezer for 30 minutes then place in pot of boiling salted water for 14 minutes. Refresh in ice water for 10 minutes. Pick the crab meat discarding the shell and cartilage.

Pick and wash coriander and mint and combine in a bowl.

Combine all dressing ingredients (except salt and pepper) in a mortar and pestle and grind with pestle for 5-10 minutes. Then season and check dressing for balance. Note: You don’t want it too hot or spicy or it will overpower the crab.

Boil blanched peanuts for 20 minutes, strain and dry. Fry in oil until they start to colour. Drain.  Chop roughly when cool.

Add  green paw paw to the bowl of herbs and mix to combine. Pour on dressing and sprinkle with half the toasted peanuts. Add crab and gently mix through.

To serve:
Place Betel leaves on centre of plates and arrange salad mixture evenly on top of each leaf. Sprinkle with remaining peanuts.